WenDip: Pillow Talk
by Pinkie The Mouse
Summary: Older Dipper and Wendy's late night movie marathons take a different turn when Wendy is sleepy. Is she sleepwalking/sleeptalking? Or does she know what she's doing? What happens when everyone in GF finds out? WenDip but also drama and pain and comfort, STRONG EMOTIONS here people! The downs make the ups sweeter! COMPLETE. Thanks everyone for reading! Picture: DA artist Cracket
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

White noise. And the scent…of _butter_. Butter and cinnamon. And something else, some undefinable but irresistible female scent that was so…so _Wendy._

Dipper woke up and opened his tired eyes. He instantly knew where he was: he had fallen asleep on Wendy's bed again, her TV static making it obvious that the old VHS tape player had ended the movie long ago. _How long ago?_ He wondered. He looked to the side for the digital alarm clock, but his view was blocked…by _her_.

She had fallen asleep too, on her tummy, head turned to the side, facing him. Right _next _to him. Then he realized how close she was, he could feel her _warmth_. Her gentle, sleeping breathing slight and slow. Her breath smelled of butter. He looked closely at her face as the TV's static light beamed upon her.

Her eyelashes. He couldn't stop staring at them. Delicate girlish lashes that were almost hypnotic. Then he looked down at her lips, parted in a cute pout that invited a kiss. _Freckles._ Freckles that gave her smooth but exciting skin a certain texture that made him want to glide his hand over her, to feel her smoothness and warmth. And surrounding and framing it all, her beautiful swirling hair, a vortex of incandescent fire that warned of her power and strength. Wendy was tough, and had even saved him before, but now as she slept she was so feminine, so vulnerable and angelic in her dreaming state.

Slowly, carefully he raised himself onto his elbow to glance at the clock, but his movement somehow jostled her, and she moaned softly, almost a whimper. She stirred and then rolled away from him onto her back, and as she did so he saw her bosom softly sway underneath her plaid shirt and settle as gravity rearranged her chest. _Oh yeah, last night she took off her bra and threw it at the other end of the bed. _

Dipper could feel that feeling, that exciting male heat that sped up his heartbeat and raised his blood pressure to almost publicly _obvious_ levels. He took a deep breath and then turned away from her, to slowly swivel off her bed and to stand up. Then he turned around one last time to look at her before leaving.

Now her face was towards the ceiling, eyelashes still mesmerizing, lips still pouting, freckles still…freckling, but now…_now_ her chest was slowly rising and falling as she slept. He stared. And stared.

_I should leave. Time to go_. But his legs wouldn't move. Nor his eyes.

_OK Dip, now you are getting creepy. LEAVE._

_OK, but first shut off the TV._

He walked to the foot of her bed and with a sharp _CLICK _turned it off.

"Dipper?" It was little more than a whisper, enough to hear the question in her voice. Then he felt her tug at his vest.

He turned around. His eyes were still used to the bright TV static light, and could not see her in the darkness. But from the sound of her movement and her voice he knew her head was slightly lifted, eyes probably blinking but more adjusted to the dark than he. He whispered back.

"Good night Wendy. Sorry I dozed off."

"S'ok. C'mere." He felt her tugging his vest again, then his shirt. _She's pulling me down_.

"G'night Dipper." And she kissed him. _On the lips_. A brief but soft kiss. Then she giggled.

"Oh, sorry, thought it was your cheek. G'night." And then he could hear her head plop back down on the bed.

"Good…good night Wendy." His voice cracked. He stood up. He stood up tall, smiling. His heart was pounding, a braying parade, an orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's_ 1812 Overture_.

He lowered his voice. "See you tomorrow." And he slowly walked to the bedroom door.

Then he stopped and looked back, and lowering his voice back down again, he whispered:

"_Baby_."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Euphoria! My stars how tonight is amazing!_ Dipper was walking home alone in the wee hours of the morning, but he did not feel alone. He was walking home with Wendy in his heart.

_She kissed me! Well, she said she thought it was my cheek, but when she kissed my lips, she giggled, so she must have liked it too!_

He felt like his smile would be permanent, that the whole world would guess his secret, and hell, he felt like shouting it to the world anyway.

"SHE KISSED ME! THANK YOU UNIVERSE! WENDY KISSED ME! WOO HOO!"

He _knew_ that when he turned 14 that this would be his year! Here he was, 14, and yet he beat out older boys, _none_ of them were with her now! _He_ was!

The stars were brilliant, sparkling and acknowledging his new love with every twinkle. The full moon seemed to be smiling with him. _Well done Mr. Pines! Well done!_

Even the air smelled cleaner, crisper and scented with pine and water. He was in tune with life, male and female together in their ancient dance, and now he was dancing too! With Wendy!

He arrived at the shack, and went inside quietly. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a can of Pitt Cola and went upstairs on tip toe.

Opening the attic bedroom door he took off his hat and then his shoes, but forgot to open his can of cola. He tried to quietly open it but it sputtered and hissed with a metallic rasp as he released the pressure.

"Dipper?" It was the second time tonight he had heard a gentle female question, barely above a whisper.

"Oh, sorry Mabes. It's just soda."

"Oh, I thought it was Dipper. How are you Mr. Soda? And why are you in a girl's bedroom so late at night?" and she giggled. She turned on her nightstand lamp.

"OH _MY!"_

"Shhhh Mabel! What are you talking about? _Oh my_ what?"

"The lipstick on your lips! Or are you making fashion statements now?" she leapt off the bed, her long nightgown flowering in sudden bloom as she landed on the floor, and went right up to him with a big ear to ear smile, inspecting her brother closely, holding his shoulders.

Dipper backed up. "What? No." But his smile was giving him away.

"I know you went to Wendy's tonight, but she's 17, three years older than you. How did you come to have her lipstick on you hmmmm? _SPILL!_" and then she began _sniffing_ him.

"Mabel, sheesh! Calm down will ya? You're gonna wake Grunkle Stan!"

"I smell buttered popcorn. And…"

_snif_

"Pitt."

"Yeah, so? Big discovery Sherlock. We watched movies like we do almost every night."

"Maybe! But did you watch a RomCom or something? Something that made her feel lovey-dovey? How did she let you kiss her? _Tell_ me!"

"Well, that's the funny thing Mabes. _She_ kissed _me_." And his smile widened back to his molars. It couldn't get any wider.

Mabel's eyes widened and her smile now faded. "No! Reaaaaally?" and her smile returned.

Dipper nodded, trying to keep the conversation quiet.

"Tell me everything Dipper! What led up to it you ol' smoothie you!" and she playfully socked his shoulder.

"Weeeeeeell nothing really. Honest, I just woke up and…"

"Wait, you were asleep? Where? On her couch?"

"No on her bed where we always watch movies." His ears began turning red as he saw his sister putting two and two together and then dividing by zero.

"On her bed eh? _So!_ You woke up and then what?"

He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck underneath his thick locks of brown wavy hair, looking to the side. "Well…I just said good night, and…then she grabbed my shirt and… pulled me to her and…" he glanced back to Mabel, looking her in the eyes now. "…and she kissed me. That's all. Then we said goodnight."

Mabel's smile disappeared again. She folded her arms.

"Wait a minute…did she eat _smiledip_ before she kissed you? Or drink any cider? _Expired_ cider?"

"No, honest. She just woke up and…"

"Waitasecond, she was sleeping too? With you? You were _both _sleeping on her bed?" And the smile came back.

"Yeah, it no big deal Mabel, we fell asleep watching _Tales from the Crypt_ and then we woke up and she kissed me goodnight." Now Dipper let his eyelids lower a bit and folded his arms, trying to act like he does this every night.

"You're not telling me everything Dip."

He opened his eyes wide again and raised his hands to the ceiling. "Why would I hide anything? I tell you everything Mabel, and besides, you would know if I was lying."

"Hmmmm yeah, you're right, I would. Still…something's fishy."

Dipper rolled his eyes and took off his vest and his shirt and got ready to climb into bed.

"Mabel it's late and I'm tired. Let's talk in the morning.

_I'll get it out of him somehow_. _Or_…and she smiled and looked away from Dipper…_or from Wendy! Ha!_

"Goodnight Mabel."

She replied in a sing song soprano "Goodnight BroBro. Sweeeeeet dreeeeeaaaams."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mabel began to wake up. Normally she would have turned around and snuggled back into the pillow, but then she realized it was a work day for the shack, and that means Wendy would have to come in to work the register. The Wendy who had the answers that Mabel's curious mind just _had_ to have. She sat right up, and throwing off the covers she leapt out of bed. She saw Dipper was still sleeping, and tip-toed to his bedside and looked down.

_Yep. Her lipstick is there! Something between Brick-ola and Barely Beige I'd say. Hmmmm._

Smiling she got dressed and went downstairs.

_Darn it, only 9:30 and Wendy doesn't start until 10 AM._

She poured herself some cereal. Then she heard Dipper upstairs, making noises getting dressed.

Dipper got up and walked to the bathroom, smacking his lips.

_What's that sweet taste? Hmmm. Work day. Ugh. Uh…wait a sec…_

Dipper was looking in the bathroom mirror as he got ready brush his teeth.

_Wow, it wasn't a dream! She really did kiss me!_

He wiped off the sweet tasting and smeared lipstick and finished getting ready with a non-stop smile. Now he was happy it was a work day, Wendy would be here today! He sped up his routine and almost ran down the stairs.

"Good Morning Romeo!"

Dipper didn't like the reference but he couldn't stop smiling.

"Mabel please." And he got the milk and a bowl. Mabel knew she wouldn't get anything more from him than last night, so she would just wait for Wendy.

…

The twins were strangely quiet as they waited in the shack store.

Then the silence was almost rudely interrupted by the announcement bell hanging on the top of the entry door ringing. The twins jumped at the sudden noise and watched the door…as Soos came in.

"Dudes! Good Morning."

"Oh it's you. Hi Soos." Soos gave Dipper a worried look after hearing that greeting.

"Hi Soos!" Mabel was more enthusiastic and genuine.

"Hi Mabel!" and Soos' smile returned. Then lowered his head to her level and whispered. "What's with Dipper? He sounds…disappointed in my Soosness today."

"Oh he's ok, he just thought it was Wendy coming in not you."

"Oh." And his face became serious. "Gotcha. The Wendy crush thing. Roger that dude."

None of this conversation escaped Dipper.

"Guys, it's not a crush. We have a mature, deep and trusting relationship ok? It's not just a one way crush thing."

"Hey dorks." Everyone looked at the door. Wendy had a way of slowly opening the door without ringing the bell, so Grunkle Stan wouldn't know when she came in late.

Dipper looked back at Soos and Mabel and then turned back to Wendy with a nervous smile.

"Hi Wendy. You look…look…" Dipper felt it was very warm suddenly and adjusted his shirt collar. "…beautiful."

Wendy looked confused. "Uh…thanks Dipper." Then she saw Soos and Mabel both smiling. "Ok, am I missing something here?" She went around behind the cash register and sat down. "Come on guys, what's up?"

Soos and Mabel looked at each other with hands to their mouths trying to hide their smiles.

Dipper saw this as disbelief and decided he was man enough to prove them both wrong.

He went around behind the register and stood next to Wendy.

"Oh, don't mind them Wendy, they just don't think we have a mature…relation…ship…haha." And he gulped, and decided to go for it. He leaned down, and puckering his lips tried to kiss Wendy, but she suddenly stood up and backed away with eyes wide.

"Uh…Dipper? What are you doing?"

Dipper opened his eyes and red faced looked at his sister and Soos and then tried to explain, but was also asking a question.

"Oh, well…I mean…after last night…" and smiling he searched Wendy's face for clues to continue.

"After last night?" Now Wendy had a touch of anger in her eyes. "Last night we watched movies." She looked at Soos and Mabel who now had stopped smiling. Soos began walking towards the door.

"Uh…I gotta go gas up the golf cart dudes. See ya."

Wendy looked back at Dipper. "What did you tell them Dipper?"

"Well, I just corrected them when…when they said it was only a crush."

"Corrected them? How? _WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM_?" She began walking towards Dipper who was now walking backwards until he was up against the vending machine.

Mabel jumped in. She knew the lipstick had to come from somewhere. This was her chance to find out where.

"Wendy, Dipper just said you two had a mature and trusting relationship." And she got closer to Wendy to inspect her lipstick.

"By the way, I really like your lipstick. Brick-ola, or Barely Beige?"

"Uh…_mature _relationship?" She turned to Dipper. "You told them we had a mature relationship?"

Dipper nodded. "Well yeah. You …you kissed me…remember?"

"What? No."

"But Wendy, Dipper had…your lipstick smeared on his lips!" now Mabel stood beside her brother. "He said you kissed him!"

"No way." She turned back to Dipper. "This is not cool Dipper."

But Mabel wouldn't give up. "But the lipstick! It was the same one you are wearing now."

"Is that…that why you asked me? Barely-Beige by the way."

"I knew it!"

"Wendy, may I talk to you in private please? Mabel, would you give us a few minutes please?"

"Uh…OK." And she went upstairs.

Wendy and Dipper watched Mabel leave and made sure they heard her close the upstairs attic door before turning to each other and talking.

"Dipper, were you _bragging?_"

"What? No, Wendy, it's true! You kissed me last night, remember? And when I came home Mabel saw the lipstick smeared on my lips to prove it."

Wendy scrutinized Dipper's face and saw no lie in his face. But she remained unconvinced. She folded her arms and looked away as she spoke.

"No, I don't remember. I certainly would have remembered something like _that._"

Dipper remembered that she did say that she meant to kiss his cheek.

"Do you remember me leaving? That you said you thought it was my cheek when you kissed…my lips?"

"No."

Dipper recalled she plopped her head back down again right after they kissed. Maybe…maybe she was half asleep?

"OK Wendy. I understand. I think you were still asleep and so you don't remember. But I am not lying. You gotta trust me."

Wendy looked back at Dipper. She uncrossed her arms and now her face had a pleading look.

"Look Dipper, you gotta trust me too. I wouldn't …I mean, don't take this the wrong way…but I wouldn't kiss you like that. You're…you're my friend and I…well I just don't think about you that way."

Dipper was relieved to hear her say he was her friend, and that good enough to quit while he was ahead.

"OK Wendy. I understand. However it happened I don't want it to get in the way of our friendship. No…no hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings." And she smiled as they bumped fists.

Strangely happy yet still confused, Dipper went upstairs to let Mabel know the new situation.

"Oh, and Dipper!" He turned around.

"Yeah?"

"I got the new Godzilla series DVD, you're still coming over tonight, right?"

Dipper's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah sure!"

"Cool. See you tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

That evening Dipper was a little nervous as he knocked on the door. He was glad Wendy invited him back after their…odd…misunderstanding this morning, but anyway, any alone time he could spend with her was always quality time.

"Hey Dipper. Come on in." She was wearing her normal Wendy smile, so things were still ok.

"Thanks. So, we ran out of popcorn, but I grabbed some crackerjacks, some peanuts and some instant hot chocolate packets, with…" and he held a bag up high like a trophy "mini-marshmallows!"

"Oh yeah! High five!" and they slapped hands.

_Whew! Things are back to normal. It woulda been great if she were my girlfriend, but ok, things are pretty good even as friends._

They walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

"Where's your brothers tonight? And your dad?"

"They went bowling. They'll be back around 10. Let's drop of the crackerjacks and peanuts in my room and then make a detour to the kitchen to make the hot chocolate."

"Sounds good to me."

Dipper always loved the smell of her room. He never knew Wendy to wear perfume, but her room always smelled like a girl's room. Being a 14 year old boy he didn't stop to think about things like baby powder, skin lotion and the like, but he knew a girl's room when he smelled one. Sometimes Mabel made their attic smell the same way.

They dropped off the snacks and then turned around to the kitchen. Wendy got out a kettle and filled it up with water to boil.

"So _Godzilla_ huh? Like the original Japanese series, in black and white and rubber suits? Haha!"

"Haha yeah man, oh we're gonna have some laughs for sure, can't wait to hear your commentary heehee!"

Dipper watched Wendy carefully. She got out the mugs and they poured the packets in while waiting for the water to boil. She seemed completely at ease with him. This got Dipper thinking.

_A little __**too much**__ at ease for having gotten into a misunderstanding about kissing and girlfriend/boyfriend status. Wouldn't she be more…tense If she really didn't remember the kiss, or last night? Maybe she wouldn't have even invited me over. But if she did remember, and was denying it, then she __**would **__be at ease…or am I over thinking things again? Maybe I put her into a bad spot in front of Mabel and Soos and that's why she denied everything?_

Dipper smiled in sudden realization. _Of course! She had to deny it in front of Mabel and Soos. A 17 year old kissing a 14 year old? It makes sense now! So, now that we're alone, she probably…probably will…let her feelings …show…again!_

His heart began racing at the thought. _Don't rush it this time man, not like at the shack. Let her kiss you again, let her make the first move…_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cocoa. Sweet cocoa.

Quiet. Then something drifting across closed eyelids.

"Mmmmphhh." Dipper smacked his lips and opened his eyes.

The DVD had finished and was in screensaver mode, Godzilla silently spitting flame across Tokyo, looping forever, asking for _Play or Features_. He closed his eyes again, because he was so comfy and cozy with the blanket…blanket? Around his…his waist?

_What the?_

Dipper lifted his head a few inches and looked around.

There was Wendy, asleep again, almost closer than last time if that was possible. Her pretty face just inches from Dipper's. He would have stared longer but he was very interested in looking at what he thought he felt was around his waist…_no…it can't be…_

_Her arm._ Her arm was around his waist as they both lay on the bed side by side on their tummies, her right hand holding his right side.

She was holding him, like…_like a teddy bear._ Or a boyfriend.

_Wait a second Dipper old boy, don't jump to conclusions. There must be another explanation if Wendy said she doesn't …think of me that way._

He looked back up at her face. _I must find out the truth, does she really like me? She never made a move last night._ He was fixated on her kissable lips, lips that were breathing cocoa.

"Wendy?" He whispered.

Nothing.

_"Wendy?"_ he moved just slightly, enough to jostle her like the night before.

"MmmmDippermmmcomere…" He suddenly was aware of how strong she was as she pulled him towards her.

She kissed him. _On the lips._

_Wow!_ Dipper didn't care at that moment if she was awake or not, he was going to enjoy this kiss. She started it so there was nothing wrong with him…keeping it going. His heart started racing and he was not only fully awake now, he was in heaven!

When she pulled back, he kissed her back. Then he whispered:

"Wendy, oh how I've loved you!" and gently kissed her again.

Dipper saw her smile when he pulled back, but…her eyes were still closed. "Love you too…" and again her arm pulled him in for another kiss. He kissed her but now began to feel…uneasy.

_Her eyes are closed. She …is not conscious is she? But…she is saying my name! She must be dreaming about me, and knows in her dream she is kissing me and seems ok with it, and even said she loves me too!_

Dipper now began to be unsure of what to do. Here he was with the girl he loved, her arm around him, telling him she loved him too and…kissing him, but…he had to stop. She wasn't doing this consciously.

_I must know the truth!_

"Wendy…Wendy… wakeup!"

She started snoring.

"Wendy! Wendy?" he began to gently shake her shoulder. Her eyebrows scrunched together and she began smacking her lips and breathing deeper.

"hmmmmm. Ugh. "

She opened her eyes and squinted at Dipper.

"Hi Wendy. We fell asleep again." He tried to smile casually and pretend it was no big deal that her arm was around him.

Wendy began to push up on her arm to sit up and realized where arm was.

"What? Oh, sorry Dipper. I must have rolled over in my sleep, I have long arms and they just go everywhere." She yawned and sat up.

Dipper began to have a sinking feeling.

"You…pulled me closer. When I tried to turn around."

"Yeah? Funny."

"You kissed me. Just like last ni…"

"What?" She blinked rapidly and rubbed her eyes.

"You kissed me. Twice."

"Dipper, this isn't funny." Now the angry Wendy began peeping around the corner.

"I am not trying to be funny. I need to know Wendy: what were you dreaming about before I woke you up?"

"What? Dreaming?"

"Yes. Dreaming. You pulled me closer, called my name and kissed me twice. I…I think you were dreaming about me. Were you dreaming about me?"

"Dipper, you…what are you talking about?"

But then she looked to the side…and Dipper saw confusion in her expression for a brief moment. She moved to the side of the bed.

"Naw…It couldn't…"

"Couldn't what Wendy? You were dreaming weren't you? Please Wendy, I need to know, because I…love your kisses but I can't stand not knowing…"

"Look Dipper, I'm sorry, but I didn't kiss you on purpose." But now she looked down at the ground.

_She is hiding something._

"I think you better go."

"Wendy please…"

"Go home Dipper. Let's talk in the morning. But _DON'T_ talk to anyone else about this, understand?"

Now it was Dipper's turn to look down at the ground.

"I won't but…but why can't we talk about it now? We are alone now with no one around to hear us."

Wendy was silent. She reached over to the TV and shut it off. Now they were both in the dark.

_I am alone with the girl I love, in her bedroom, in the dark. And she even said she loved me and even kissed me…and yet I have never felt so terrible in all my life._

"Dipper…"

"Yes?"

He heard her take a deep breath.

"I _was _dreaming."

"You were?"

"Yes. Look Dipper, please don't take this the wrong way, and _don't_ tell anyone about this! Understand? Please?"

"I promise Wendy. And I would never do or say anything to hurt you."

"I _was_ dreaming about you. But… you were older. It was like…in the future, OK? And …well…you were older, much older than 14. _Waaaay_ older."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

In the silence Dipper could hear his heart pounding. _My future self has a chance! She was dreaming about me. But…she doesn't feel that way about …the present me…the …under 18 me…_

"I understand Wendy. It's OK. Thanks for explaining. I'm sorry you…you kissed me without knowing."

He felt her hand on his. She squeezed.

"I'm the one who should be sorry Dipper. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

And she let go of his hand.

He gave his best fake laugh to let her know it was OK.

"Yeah, waaaaay wrong time…heehee…well…let me thank you for giving me my first kiss Wendy. I'll never forget it, even it if it is ten years too soon or whatever."

"Haha, you're welcome dude. Now hit the road before my dad finds out you're still here." There was no threat in her voice though, to Wendy's dad, Dipper was no threat…yet…

"OK Wendy, well goodnight and …sweet dreams! Haha!"

She gave him the zipper lip sign.

And he zipped back, smiling as he flicked away the key.

…

There was no way he was going to break his promise to Wendy, he would keep it secret even from his twin sister Mabel. But he didn't need to share this secret, sharing it with Wendy was all he needed. He opened the bedroom door…

_FLASH!_

"What the heck? Mabel?" He was temporarily blinded.

"Ah HA! I got it on my camera phone! Proof! _LIPSTICK AGAIN_!"

"What? Oh no…"  
>"OK Dip, so tell me EVERYTHING…"<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Dipper, how can you hide this? I have your besmirched lips captured on my phone! You've _GOT_ to tell me what happened!"

"Mabel…" Dipper held his sister by her shoulders. "Mabel, I would, but I promised Wendy I wouldn't say a thing."

Mabel frowned, and for her this was a rare event that indicated the depth of frustration in trying to get the juicy details from her brother.

"Then…I'll let the camera do the asking…I'll show the picture to Wend…" Dipper snatched the phone out of her hands.

"Not if I delete it!"

"Dipper _NO!_ How can you do this to me?" She started crying.

"Oh Mabel…" Dipper knew he could never win this one. "Here."

She snatched it back but was still crying.

"Mabel, how can you do this to _me?_ Can't I keep promises to my friends?"

Mabel looked up. "Oh I'm sorry brobro. I'm just not used to…to being second to another girl." And she managed a smile.

"Thanks Mabel. Please don't give Wendy a hard time about this, please?"

She sniffed and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her nightgown." 'kay…"

They hugged. Then Dipper walked over to his bed and took off his shoes.

"Dipper?" She was still sniffing.

"Yeah?" and he continued getting ready for bed.

"She…she might break your heart you know. I…I just want to know details to…protect my one and only brobro."

He smiled and got up, and walking to her in stocking feet hugged her again.

"Thanks Mabe. Don't worry, she won't. She has made it clear we're not…not a thing."

She looked up at him through the hug.

"But the lipstick…?" Dipper could see the wheels turning again in her head as she asked. He rolled his eyes.

...

The next morning Mabel decided she could use a loophole in her agreement with Dipper not to "Give Wendy a hard time."

As Wendy came in and settled in behind the register Mabel walked up to her with the phone, waving it around with a flare. _If she asks me well I can't refuse, it wasn't ME who initiated anything!_

"Hi Wendy!"

"Hey buddy. What'cha got there?" _Ah-HA!_

"Oh just a picture of Dipper coming home last night…from movie night…" and she flipped it around to show Wendy.

"He looks surprised."

"Look closer."

Wendy looked at the photo again. Her eyes went wide. Then she looked at Mabel, lowering her eyelids back to "laid back" mode. "Yeah. So?" and she opened a magazine.

"Whhhhhhhhhhere do you think the lipstick came from, huh?" Mabel began tilting the phone back and forth as she asked, but Wendy didn't respond except to turn the page. "Well I know. It had to be you kissed him again, didn't you?"

Wendy continued to ignore Mabel. Mabel decided to let her concern out, full force. She leaned over the counter to face Wendy and pulled down the magazine capturing Wendy's attention.

"Wendy, don't play with my brother's heart. Don't lead him on! If you break his heart…"

Wendy stood up out of the chair and looked down on Mabel, frowning.

"I am _NOT_ leading him on and he _KNOWS_ I am not playing with him because I _TOLD_ him! I have been nothing but honest with him Mabel. Don't make up things that aren't there."

"But…the lipstick…?" now Mabel's face was pleading.

Wendy sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Dipper hasn't told you anything , has he?"

"Nope."

Wendy smiled for a moment. "I should have known he'd keep his promise, and since it is obvious he still left you in the dark you must have been making his life a living…"

"Don't say it Wendy. I love my brother and I would never do anything to hurt him."

"I would never hurt him either Mabel. Promise." She sighed and sat back down in the chair.

"Look Mabel, I didn't kiss him…on purpose. I was asleep when...it happened. I had no idea I did it, and if I were awake I certainly would have never …kissed him. I was asleep!"

Mabel looked Wendy in the eye. She wasn't lying. That would explain her attitude and yet the lipstick at the same time…and it kinda matched what she thought Dipper was hiding. She relaxed.

"OK Wendy. I'm just looking out for my brobro, you know?"

"I know Mabes. But you sure are relentless! Haha!"

And they smiled at each other.

"OK Wendy. Thanks."

…

Mabel was on her way up the stairs, when she ran into Dipper coming downstairs.

"Hey Mabel, I was just coming to look for you."

"Me?" She looked down the stairs at Wendy. "But uh…Wendy's here."

"I know. Listen, would you want to like, you know…hang out with me tonight? Watch some movies maybe?"

Mabel's eyes went wide. "Me? Watch movies…with _you_? For reals?"

"Yeah man, like, for reals."

Slowly a smile widened across her face. "Yeah! Sure! I'd love to! But…why aren't you …you know…watching with Wendy tonight?" and she tilted her head as she asked.

"Well…I think I need a break…from…you know…all the drama and …romantic roller coaster…haha."

Mabel glomped him, almost knocking them both down the stairs.

"Sure brobro! Movies and hot chocolate and marshmallows! Quality time with my broseph!"

"Yeah! But…uh…Mabel…"

"Yeah?"

"You haven't been dreaming lately, you know…of guys…?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"You mean 1970's zombie flick? Like, cheesy rubber mask with no CGI animated special effects? Like bats on strings?"

"Haha! Yeah man, you nailed it! The strings man! Haha!"

"Ugh. No thanks Wendy. Though...uh…I could go for like, _Constantine_. Something at least this century."

Wendy frowned. Tambry was nothing like Dipper when it came to poking fun at old movies.

"Nah, _Constantine_ is cool for when I wanna cuddle with a guy, but like, I'm lookin' for laughs, you know?"

"Uh…no. What's so funny about cheap, cheesy old movies?"

"Never mind. I'll talk to you later Tambry."

"Sure. Bye."

Wendy started walking home as the sunset turned the Oregon sky a blaze of orange and reds and purple, kicking stones down the road as she walked.

_I was really looking forward to getting away from Dipper too just the way he said. He said he thought we could both use a break, and it sounded good to me too…at the time._

_I mean, this way we could go back to just being friends having fun without my stupid dream screwing everything up. And that would get Mabel off my back. She is just protecting her brother but sheesh, it ain't like I'm gonna…gonna break his heart. Hah. As if._

Something flickered overhead. Wendy squinted and could finally make out a bat, twisting and turning in radar predation after some unseen insect.

_I'm no "maneater"! Dipper's my friend. So why…why am I dreaming about him? He's only 14. But he's sure a lot more mature than the 18-plus year olds I've dated that's for sure. That kid's got it together. Well. Maybe not about love, but about everything else. _

She looked back down and finding a good sized rock, gave it a swift kick and sent it sailing out of sight. She then noticed she was walking past the shack. She looked up at the attic window and saw the lights flickering. Straining her ears she could faintly make out…laughter.

_I'm glad. Glad that Mabel is getting some laughs with her brother. Gotta share the little dork after all. And besides he belongs to her more than me anyway. But why…why am I dreaming about him? You never answered the question. I mean, he is reaaallly cute as an older Dip. Tasty actually. Quite tasty. Especially his lips. Those kissable lips. _

_WAIT a minute Wendy ol gal, that kiss was an…accident. You can't really like his 14 year old lips. _

_Well yeah. That was…was nice._

She resumed walking, but looked back once. Then turned around and walked home.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Wendy smacked her lips. _Bleh. Dry mouth._ She opened her eyes. _No wonder_.

She had been drooling all over her pillow, and from the shape of it, chewing it in her sleep. She had hugged the pillow lengthwise and had the other end sandwiched between her legs.

The TV was still on, static hissing. She reached over and shut it off and then rolled over.

_Ugh. Why do I feel like I didn't sleep?_ She glanced at the clock. 8:17 AM.

_What? I never get up this early._ She smacked her lips again and rubbed her eyes. _No use, I won't be able to get any more sleep before I have to go into work. Might as well go in early and see what Dipper is up to._

She paused a moment and scratched her head. _And Mabel. And Mabel too._ She got dressed and went to the kitchen. _Naw, I can get something to eat at the shack vending machine, or maybe the dorks are cooking up something in the kitchen I can mooch. _She went past the kitchen and out the door.

…

It was cloudy but warm as Wendy walked quickly to the shack.

_Wow, this has got to be the earliest I ever started. Better not make this a habit or Stan will expect it every day. _She climbed up the steps and opened the door.

"Good Morning dorks! Anyone up? Anyone…here?" She looked around but the kitchen was cold and dark and not a sound could be heard. She went back to the family part of the shack, the living room. "Dipper? Mabel?"

Looking up the stairs she saw sunlight coming from above. _The attic room door is open. Maybe they're gone? I don't remember them saying they were going anywhere._

She quietly climbed the stairs to the door and peeked in. She smiled.

On Dipper's bed next to the TV, Mabel was asleep with her head in Dipper's lap, and he was passed out too, his back leaning against the headboard, head droopy and drooling. He had on pajama pants…and nothing else. Mabel was in a robe. The TV was in screen saver mode for the original 1953 _War of the Worlds._

_Oh man, I love that flick! Warships on wires! Dang, I missed a good one…_

Her spying gaze went back to Dipper. _Look at that bed head! What shaggy hair that kid's got. His pecs would make a great pillow too! _ She noticed his thick arm around his sister, holding her with affection, and noticed a slight smile on Mabel's lips. _And what a sweet brother Mabel has, letting her sleep on him. Lucky girl. _

She blew them a kiss and went back downstairs quietly.

Stepping behind the counter she sat down behind the register and looked at the clock. 8:30. _Huh, gonna be a while, might as well help myself to a bowl of cereal or something. _She got up and went to the kitchen.

In the kitchen were a few family pictures on the walls. As she got out the cereal and walked to the table she admired them. Here was Grunkle Stan with the twins. _Wow, I never noticed Dipper is almost as tall as Stan. The kid's growing fast._

Another picture framed a tan Dipper in swim trunks and a bikinied Mabel at the lake, Mabel on his shoulders as if to play chicken fight in the water. _He's got muscles too. Nice abs too. He's got it going on all over…_

"Oh hi Wendy!"

"GAH!"

She dropped the cereal and bowl in shock and surprise, and almost bumped into Dipper as she was too busy looking sideways at the picture while walking towards the table when he came in.

"Whoa! You ok? Sorry, didn't meant to scare you."

"Whew! Wow, don't _do_ that Dipper! Scared the bejeezus outta me!"

She bent over to pick up the bowl and as she stood up again noticed his bare chest.

"I didn't know you were here or I would've got dressed. Be back in a minute."

"Uh…ok…" _Why does it feel so warm in here? I haven't turned on the oven yet._ _Wait, why would I turn on the oven? Get it together Corduroy! _She started fanning herself as she looked around for the broom.

Just as she found it Mabel shuffled in rubbing her eyes. "Hi Wendy. You're early today. What gives…wait a sec…" Mabel was looking closely at Wendy's face.

"What?"

"Are you…blushing? Or just using blush today? You usually don't wear makeup."

"What? No, it's just warm in here. Doesn't it feel warm in here?"

"No." But Mabel was smiling.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, just that _someone_ couldn't wait to come over and see…Dipper. And then when she did started _BLUSH-ing_…_ing_…_ing_. Ha!" Now her smile was downright aggravating.

"Mabel don't start with that again. Please." And she turned around sweeping the cereal. She swept it into the dustpan and then hurried back to the front of the shack, the business end of the shack.

Thankfully Mabel didn't follow her. She was fanning herself and then walked over to the warped circus mirror that makes one look stretched. _Ohmygaw, my cheeks…I AM blushing. Dang this pale skin of mine!_

She went outside to try and cool off but it was warm outside too. She went over to the garden hose and splashed a little water on her face. _There. Now get in there and…get …to …work…_

_But…I'm still a little hungry._ She bravely walked back to the kitchen.

"Oh there you are." Dipper was dressed now…well, mostly. He had a tee shirt on, a tight fitting tee shirt, and jeans…tight…jeans. His hair was still a glorious shaggy thick walnut brownie mess.

"Hi Dipper. I…there was nothing to eat at home so…so I was just gonna have some cereal ok? Sorry about earlier."

"Hey no prob." Dipper went to the fridge and pulled out the gallon of milk.

_Did his biceps always flex like that?_

"Don't worry Wendy, it hasn't expired yet." Wendy glanced back to Mabel who was already sitting at the table.

"What?"

"The milk. You look like you were really straining to read the date on the milk. It's still fresh."

"Fresh? Oh yeah sure, fresh."

Then she turned back to look at Dipper as he approached the table and placed the milk in front of her.

His smile seemed to show he could look right through her.

"Uh. Thanks Dipper." She looked down. _Dang it! What's wrong with me?_

"Anytime." And he turned around to get himself a bowl. Watching him walk to the pantry in those tight jeans was a religious experience.

"You ok Wendy?" _Curse it Mabel!_ She had that ridiculous _I know what you're thinking _smile on her nosy little face.

"Of course." And she tried to become really involved with pouring cereal into a bowl and then adding milk, consciously avoiding looking at Dipper.

Dipper sat down across from her. "So Wendy, you're here early today."

"Yeah well, starvation will make anyone come in early."

"Haha! Well you know you're always welcome to come eat here." Dipper started shoveling cereal into his mouth, milk dripping on his stubbly chin. Wendy couldn't help watch the milk dribble. _Does he shave now?_

"Yeah Dip, I think she did have an appetite this morning." _Mabel I will clobber that smiling face of yours you goober! _She kicked Mabel under the table. Mabel kicked back.

"Uh, I'm…I'm gonna take this to the counter and eat there…just in case Stan comes in and charges me for it… haha."

"That's no joke Wendy, he might. See ya in a few." And Dipper waved her on.

"Yeah ok, in a few." And she almost ran out of the kitchen.

_Whew. Definitely getting too warm in there. _And she fanned herself again.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After the last tourist left for the day, Dipper walked over to the counter. Wendy was ready. _No problem, thanks to all those dumb tourists for making me forget about Dipper a while._ She had watched him outside picking up trash, _not to watch him bend over_, but just to see if any more buses or cars pulled up, _that's all_.

"Hey Dipper."

"Hi! Uh, Wendy…before you clock out I was just wondering…" he looked to the side rubbing his neck. _He's so adorable when he does that. _

"Yeah? What?"

"Well uh, I got _The Exorcist_ and was think…"

"No _WAY!_ I would _love_ to see old Barbie head haha!"

Dipper looked up smiling but confused. "Barbie head?"

"Oh yeah, I used to…" Now it was Wendy's turn to look to the side, playing with her hair.

"I used to have a Barbie doll and twist her head around. When I saw_ Exorcist _it reminded me of Barbie and I was like the only one laughing, everyone else thought I was _crazy_."

"Haha! Oh man, we'll have some great laughs over that flick for sure! Uh, that is, if you want to…"

"Sure man! But uh…let's make it your place this time, kay? Just so, _you know_…"

"Yeah, I know…no crazy stuff happens. Don't worry Wendy, I understand how things are, and I…I want us to stay friends too, I don't want any more misunderstandings." And he stood up tall, smiling. "Thanks Wendy. Come over whenever you want."

"Kay man. "

…

Wendy was humming a tune as she walked home. _What should I wear? Dipper shares his room with Mabel, what if she is there too? Bah, what does it matter? Why should I care if she's there or not? But…she'll be so nosy, she'll be watching us all night. I should…I should call Dipper and tell him my place, then I won't have to share…I mean, we won't have to share the bedroom with Mabel, nosy little squirt._

She used speed dial on her phone and called him.

"Hi Wendy!"

"Hey man, I changed my mind, how about you come over to my place and we watch it there? Mabel…well watching at your place might be a …"

"I totally get it, and yeah, let's. Sounds great! I'll see you tonight."

"Kay man, see ya."

_There! That will get Mabel outta the way. Not that I care._

She walked into her front door.

…

"_WENDY!_ I'm starving, get dinner going!"

"But dad, I have to get ready…"

"ARRRRGHHH! _DINNER!_" and her brothers lined up behind her dad.

"Yeah! We're hungry too!"

"OK, OK! Sheesh. How come you guys are home so early today anyway?"

"We had to start early. We've already put in 10 hours, and we worked up an appetite. Three bacon cheeseburgers for me!"

"And two for me!"

"and me!"

"and me!"

"OK, OK hold your horses!"

Wendy got out the ground beef and bacon and then the pots and pans. _By the time dinner's over and I do the dang dishes it'll start getting late. _

…

Dipper looked in the mirror one last time. _It's about time I head over there._ He had changed out of his work clothes and put on a clean pair of blue jeans, and in case her dad was there, he decided to try and fit in with a long sleeve brown and red plaid shirt, and mountain boots. He kept the top two buttons unbuttoned to try and show off his chest hairs. _I'm up to seven now!_ He rubbed them up so they would stand out. He had shaved but his hair still refused to stay combed. _Oh well, the hat will keep it all outta sight_. With a nervous exhale he stepped out.

The stars were starting to come out. _A good omen! I think…even though we're…we're not a thing, tonight will be really fun. I never knew she had a Barbie._ As he knocked on the Corduroy home door he could hear pots, pans and other kitchen noises. The door was opened by her youngest brother.

"Oh hey Dipper! Come in, but she's busy. You wanna play video games with me?"

"Oh, thanks but…uh..no. I'll just talk to Wendy."

"Well she's busy."

Dipper ignored him and walked to the kitchen. Wendy was in front of the sink with her hair tied up in a casual bun, her sleeves rolled up and a few beads of sweat on her forehead as she washed the dishes in hot water, wearing yellow latex gloves.

"Hey Wendy!"

She turned around in surprise. "Dipper! Oh man, I lost track of time. I had to cook dinner and still have to do the dishes. I'll just be a few minutes, please wait in the living room, kay?" _Crap, I must look like a mess! Why did he have to come over now! I'm not ready!_

"It'll get finished faster if I help." He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a dishtowel and started drying the washed ones.

Wendy smiled. "Wow, thanks Dipper! That's…real nice of you." He smiled back. "We'll, I got ulterior motives you know…" and his smile made her nervous. She got butterflies in her stomach all of sudden.

"Ul…terior…motives? Uh…like…"

"Like I wanna watch old Barbie head haha!"

"Haha! Oh yeah, me too!" She flicked a strand of hair from her face and tried not to think about how stinky she might smell at the moment.

"Dipper, what're you doing? Dishes are for girls." Her younger brother had a grimace.

"Says who? I can help with the dishes if I want to. Besides, how do bachelors do the dishes? Someone's got to do them." And he turned and smiled at Wendy.

"Thanks Dipper. You're…you're a real gentleman."

She saw him blush. "Aw, it's nothing, I help Mabel with the dishes all the time."

_Wow, he is really mature compared to the other guys I know._

…

As soon as the last glass was cleaned Wendy dashed out of the kitchen.

"I gotta change Dipper, mind hanging out in the living room for a while? I can give you something to fight off the Corduroy hordes haha! Need a broom or something?"

"Haha! Naw I'm good, I'm good."

"Kay, see you in a few."

She ran into the bathroom and turned on the shower, and got undressed as the water warmed up.

As she shampooed her hair she was humming a tune again. _Wow, what a guy, helping with the dishes, and he said he helps Mabel too, like he does it on a regular basis, not just today to impress me. Wait, why would he want to impress me? Wait, why would I think he should try and impress me? It isn't like we're…a thing. _

She lathered up with body wash, and for a moment imagined Dipper's hands on her, hugging her.

_Whoa Wendy ol gal, don't go there. He's…he's just a kid. But…I'm not 18 either…but I am older…but he's…he is kinda mature for his age and kinda older too…definitely not the kid he was when we first met. He's…a young man now…isn't he? Developing quite nice actually._ And she kept rubbing herself as she lathered up the body wash…

Relaxed from the hot shower and feeling clean as she wrapped a towel around her hair and another around her body, she realized she didn't bring any clothes with her into the bathroom. _Crap. Gotta make a run for it._

She opened the bathroom door a crack and didn't see anyone in the hallway, but could hear Dipper and her brothers cheering on the video game. She opened it up and stepped out getting ready to dash to her bedroom, but as she did so her wet feet slipped on the hardwood floor.

_THUMP!_

_"OW!"_

"What happened? Wendy are you OK?"

_Oh no! _Wendy was on her butt, the towel had ridden up her thighs and almost but not quite revealing her privates.

"Uh yeah. I'm ok just slipped. I'm such a dork. Go back to the game." She got up quickly and ran to her bedroom, but not before Dipper caught a glance of her towel peeling away in back revealing her pale smooth derrière jiggling as she ran.

_WOW._

Her bedroom door slammed shut. Dipper was frozen there in the hallway, staring at nothing now but the fleeting memory of perfection.

_WOW._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Wendy leaned back against the door after slamming it shut_. Oh…my…gaw…this is the most stupid, embarrassing, awkward night of my pathetic, tired life, hands down._ She looked up, pleading to the ceiling. _Why me? Why tonight?_

Then she felt the cold hard door on the back of her butt.

_WHAT? My butt isn't covered?_ She shut her eyes and face palmed with one hand, gripping the towel tightly in her other. She sighed and walked over to the dresser. _I hope he didn't see anything! This is going to be SO awkward._ She turned around to look at the door just to make sure she had privacy. She threw off the towel onto the floor and then pulled open her underwear drawer.

_'Sorry Dipper, I'm such a dork.' Or, 'Sorry Dipper, didn't mean to flash you haha!' No…maybe 'Sorry you had to see me that way Dipper.' _She face palmed again. _Maybe I can just live out the rest of my life in my room._

She pulled on panties and then opened the next drawer. _Hmmm he has probably seen too much already, no reason to dress flirty. Wait, why would I dress flirty anyway? _She spoke out loud. "Get it together Corduroy you basket case!" She slammed the drawer shut and went to the bottom drawer to grab a pair of jeans. _But nah, I just showered and jeans are kinda rough, I wanna be comfortable for watching TV all night._ She pulled out a pair of black leggings, then walked over to the closet to look for a top.

_Maybe I should just pretend it didn't happen. Look for clues from him, wait to hear what he says._ She found a fuzzy dark blue long sleeve top that Mabel said compliments her red hair. _Covered head to toe, that's what I need. Nothing that can accidentally malfunction. No more flashing the Dipster tonight!_ She slipped it on and then walked to the mirror. _Oops, scoop top. I…I don't really need to show him any cleavage…not that I got that much anyway. Eh…that's ok. Nothing there._

She took the towel off her head and started brushing it out. _He must think I am such a dork. He is only being a gentleman, otherwise he would be laughing his adorable head off. _

She looked one more time in the mirror, and then with a sigh, turned round to see if she had the courage to open the door…

…

After she slammed her door shut, Dipper wasn't sure if he was looking at residual after image of her white rear end, or just the image in his mind. But then he saw the shadows under the door moving about, she was getting dressed. _Get outta here Dipper! Go back to the living room! _But he was mesmerized by the shadows moving back and forth under her door. He thought he heard her talking to herself in there_. I…I probably embarrassed her. I better not still be standing here when she comes out. _

He turned around and walked back to the living room.

"Hey, 'bout time. Here's your controller. Lucky I paused it when you dropped the controller. It isn't like she died or anything, she just slipped. She's such a klutz…"

"OK knock it off, she coulda been hurt!"

"Naw, she's already brain damaged, the way she's always saying 'Dipper, Dipper…' at night."

"Give her a break…wait, what?"

"Wait what, what?"

"What you just said, about her always saying 'Dipper'."

"It's no big deal, just typical girl lovey-dovey drama. I hate it."

"Lovey….dovey?"

"Well yeah man. She likes you."

Then _She_ suddenly yelled from behind them.

"Shut the hell up you little twerp!"

Both boys turned around. Wendy had come out. "Don't pay any attention to him Dipper, he's the one who is brain damaged. Come on back to my room and let's turn on the TV."

"Be right there." He turned back to her brother. "We'll talk later."

"Whatever dude." And waved him on.

Walking down the hallway Dipper whispered to her. "Thanks for saving me, I can imagine he must drive you mad."

"Yeah, I'm gonna seriously kick his butt one of these days. Don't listen to anything he says."

Dipper's mind instantly recalled her in the hallway earlier at the word _butt_.

They walked into her room and she closed the door. "Oops, sorry, a bit of a slob." And she bent over to pick up her towels and throw them in a basket by the door. Dipper admired her shiny leggings all the way…to her…she turned around.

"Oh, no problem, didn't even notice."

"There! Now where were we?" Her red hair now cascaded over the front of her shoulder as she stood up, and the contrast with her fuzzy blue top caught Dipper 's attention, and he stared. Wendy started shift back and forth on her feet and then flipped her hair behind her. He finally snapped out of his admiration.

"Uh…" He reached around to his back pocket. "_The Exorcist_! Original with Linda Blair!"

"Cool man! What're you waiting for, rack it up."

_Whew! He hasn't said anything. He must not have seen._ She hopped on the bed as Dipper inserted it in the player.

_Whew! She hasn't said anything. She is so laid back about everything. If it had been me I would have died from embarrassment._

The movie started playing as Dipper climbed onto the bed next to her. He took off his hat and hung it on the bedpost, and then turned to her and noticed…perfume. He was so distracted by her scent that he bumped into her elbow and realized how close they were lying next to each other. But she didn't move. And neither did he. The elbows stayed in contact. He sniffed again and then turned to her.

"You…you smell really nice tonight."

She turned to face him with relaxed eyes and they both realized how close they were, faces only inches apart. "Oh uh, thanks. Thought it was better than smelling like bacon cheeseburger ya know." She stopped smiling and looked down at his lips and then back up at his eyes in time to see he was also looking at her lips. They stared at each other that ways for a few seconds.

_Her eyes_…the opening desert scene in the movie cast a reddish-orange light on her lips and hair, but the reflection in her eyes! Her eyes looked like fire, tiny mirrors reflecting warmth and…_something else._ He licked his lips. "Yeah…oh, speaking of food… I... forgot to bring any snacks, uh sorry."

"S'ok." _She said it just like that first night she kissed me. The same way. _He looked at her lips again.

"Dipper?" She licked her lips too, and was now looking at his mouth.

"Yeah Wendy?"

She leaned close to him. _She is awake this time, what is she going to do? _She whispered.

"Dipper, I…" she couldn't finish.

"Yeah…?" He leaned in a little close too. _She is awake and doing this by choice! Is she about to do what I think she is going to do?_

"You can tell me anything Wendy...I care about you. A lot." and he leaned in even closer.

"I know Dipper. And I care about you too. A lot too."

"Is there something you wanted to say?"

She closed the gap and closed her eyes as she met his lips with hers. Dipper closed his eyes too, and let himself get lost in the swirling powerful rush of emotion, of the feeling of a woman kissing him, and of realizing that _now she was awake_, and kissing him, by conscious choice. His brain and body telling were him that this first mutual kiss was the best thing in his entire life. _Her lips are so soft, and she is nibbling on my lip! So this is what it is like!  
><em>

Her tongue now began licking, gently probing and he answered with his own. Touching her slick and moving tongue was even more stimulating than her lips. He was melting into her.

Wendy was relishing the moment too. _God this is as awesome as I thought it would be! Forgive me Dipper but I couldn't resist you anymore!  
><em>

She gave into him as he pulled her closer. With her left arm under her for support she wrapped her free arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer too.

Warm breath on each others faces and the sound of middle eastern prayer calls from the movie soundtrack created an exotic background, a reality separate from the rest of the world, it was only He and She on her bed, and no one else mattered. They were taking from each other, and giving to each other in face to face contact, their desires no longer subdued and hidden.

_She wants me as much as I want her!_

_He forgives me and still wants me!_

The bedroom faded as they conformed to each other in unspoken truth and revelation to each other, baring each others hearts and taking the great leap that lovers take when they give themselves to each other with trust and love.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

In between kisses the young lovers smiled at each other, eyes relaxed and affectionate, Wendy laying on her back, her long red hair swirling about her face. Dipper reached over her to grab the remote and mute the TV. _Don't want any screaming soundtrack to ruin this night!_ As he did so Wendy felt her heartbeat jump as his chest covered her face momentarily, and she inhaled his scent. _He smells so good. His chest is so…strong._ She relaxed her hands from his back and slid down to his sides. He then returned to looking down on her, and ran his hand through her hair to then gently feel the side of her face, admiring her eyes, then her lips and then back to her eyes again.

She almost purred when she spoke. "You can just turn it off you know." She smiled lazily.

"Yeah, but then there wouldn't be any light for me to see your amazing eyes."

_He is really the most romantic guy I have ever been with._

He leaned down and kissed her again, and her arms returned to wrap around his torso, and as she hugged him tightly his lips began exploring, kissing her cheek just in front of her ear, then nuzzling her hair to find her neck, and then kissing the smooth skin he found there.

"Oh Dipper…"

He whispered back.

"I love you Wendy."

"I love you too. I think…I think I always have."

And she grabbed his shaggy hair to bring his lips back to hers. She loved his taste, and unlike other guys who seemed to think that almost choking her with their tongues was a turn on, Dipper was gently licking and tasting her. He was gentle yet passionate, not horny.

And even his hands were more romantic than anyone else. He gently cupped her face, fingered her hair, held her shoulders or glided his hands over her hips. There was no rush to second base or any other sexual demands, just _affection_. This turned her on even more.

She looked up at him as they came up for air, and his big brown eyes reflected flickering TV light, his thick eyebrows communicated love and concern without words, and his smile…his smile gave her wicked butterflies. Now she reached up to kiss the side of his cheek, and then his neck. She nibbled his strong muscled neck and then began sucking.

"Oh Wendy…" Dipper's eyes shut in ecstasy as his sensitive neck began radiating pleasure all the way down to his toes. "Wendy…" Now she rolled him over, and he submitted as she continued sucking his neck but now was on top of him.

Her heavy breathing through her nose as she kept her lips locked on him excited him, and as he wrapped his arms around her back, he slid his hands up and down her sides, her soft hourglass shape quickening the tempo of his heartbeat which was already racing. And now, as she began to lay down on him he felt her breasts on his chest. This was the trigger point and he knew she must have felt him becoming aroused as she lay on top of him.

_I've died and gone to heaven._

_BAM BAM BAM! _

Wendy looked up at the door, shaking her hair back, and Dipper almost convulsed as he lifted his head to look at what he expected to see come barging into the door.

"WENDY! Time for company to go _HOME!"_

"OK dad! OK already! Sheesh!"

She looked down at Dipper, with a sad smile.

"Sorry, looks like dad…doesn't think you're harmless anymore."

Dipper smiled back. "I consider that a compliment."

She smiled back and got off of him and walked over to the door and opened it a crack. Dipper could see her looking up at what must have been her dad.

"He's leaving OK? Just let us say goodbye."

"Thirty seconds!" She closed the door and smiled at Dipper.

Dipper felt that he was composed enough to leave the room without any embarrassing…condition…and so got off the bed and quickly walked over to her. He kissed her on the lips for as much of the 30 seconds as he felt was safe and then opened the door to see the hallway ninety percent blocked by her father, his eyes critical and a frown barely visible through his thick beard.

He squeezed past Manly Dan smiling as he looked up at the lumberjack and then went through the living room to the front door, pausing only once to look around.

"Bye Wendy."

"Bye Dipper." He saw so much in her momentary glance. And he hoped his eyes said as much back to her. _I love you._

And he stepped out into the cloudy night.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The night time clouds had darkened the Oregon sky to almost black, and the heavy drizzle revealed sparkling halos around each distant porch light or street lamp. To Dipper's eyes everything was magical, even the beginning sprinkles of rain as his non-stop smile opened to accept every drop as a gift. Even his breath condensing in the chill air was sign of the warmth of his love, he had heat enough to spare, enough to hug and warm the whole earth! He twirled about as he made slow, skipping progress home, his feet and legs filled with incessant joyful energy. He was drunk with love, and with the unquestionable fact that now, _this time_ she consciously, _willingly_ kissed him, and told him the wonderful words _I love you_, face to face.

It was all he ever dreamed of, and now it happened. He needed nothing else and began laughing as he danced in the muddy road towards the shack.

…

Wendy said goodnight to her dad, and then closed her bedroom door gently, closing it with a soft click, and for the second time tonight leaned back against the door, but this time she was tingling with excitement and felt a warmth deep inside. She touched her lips, lips that could still feel his kisses on them, and his breath on her neck. The memory made her scrunch her head to the side as if he was still there for her cheek to caress. Inhaling deeply she slowly waltzed to the bed and turning around fell backwards onto the fluffy blankets and pillows. _I can still smell him!_ His scent was all over her bedspread, and there on her bedpost, was his hat.

He had forgotten it in the rush to leave when her father came banging on the door. She lifted it and smelled it, and slowly closing her eyes could imagine him there again, on her bed, whispering sweet nothings to her.

_You got it bad girl, and man is it worth it! SO worth it! Who cares if he is three years younger than me, I love him and he loves me, and I don't care what anyone says!_

But then she sat up. _But what about dad? Naw, no big deal, he obviously knows we're together otherwise why would he chase Dipper out? I don't have to explain to anyone why I love him, it's my life and no one else can choose for me! But_…(and her eyebrows creased)…_what about Tambry and the gang? What will Stan think? That I am taking advantage of him? _But she was resolved again.

_NO, I don't care. It's Dipper's choice as well as mine and we chose each other, get over it world!_

And she lay back down holding his hat to her face, sniffing deeply and smiling with closed eyes. _What a guy. _ She sighed as she climbed under the covers, placing the hat back on the bedpost, and snuggled her pillow lengthwise, again sandwiching it between her legs.

_I love you Dipper._

_…_

Mabel was watching RomComs on the tiny bedroom TV, there was no way she could sleep knowing full well that tonight Dipper might come home tonight with lipstick, or a broken heart. It was just too much potential drama for her to sleep. Then she heard him coming up the stairs. She jumped off the bed and met him as he opened the attic door.

"Mabel! My _favorite_ Mabel!" He grabbed her in a giant hug and lifted her off the floor as she squeaked.

"Dipper! What's got into you tonight? Haha!"

"Haha! It's real Mabel, it's really _real_!" and he put her down and briefly kissed her on the lips.

"Whoa what?" with eyes wide she wiped her mouth with her nightgown sleeve. "Hey, I don't see any lipstick! What happened? Why are you so happy?"

"She kissed me while she was awake this time! A bunch of times! And you know what? She said she loves me! She says she always loved me!" and he picked her up again, and this time twirled her around.

"Haha Dipper stop it! And no more kissy kissy k? I'm your sister! Heehee! This is fun but relax a minute and tell me the details!"

He put her back down and then repeated with drama how they lay on the bed side by side and this time while she was awake, she leaned over and kissed him, and after that it was love love love.

Mabel was listening to the whole thing with a smile, but at the end she looked at him closely. "But I don't see any lipstick Dipper. She really did kiss you this time?"

"Yeah. She didn't have any lipstick on because she had just taken a shower and then we watched movies. Well, we started to anyway."

"But you said she smelled nice, that she was wearing perfume. If that's true she would have put on lipstick too I think."  
>Her suspicion didn't fade his smile at all.<p>

"Well she didn't and I don't care."

Mabel believed him, she could tell he wasn't lying but she was still going to have a chat with Wendy. _Some nice, overdue girl talk_.

"OK Dipping sauce. Well I waited up all night to hear the scoop but now I'm tired and gotta hit the hay."

"Me too…but…I'm not sleepy, I'll try not to keep you awake."

"Thanks brobro. Sweeeeeet dreeeeaaaaammmms!"

"Haha yeah you too." And he ran over to her to hug again and leaned in to kiss her.

"Uh, let's keep it friendly ok haha!" and she presented her cheek.

"Of course Lady Mabelton!" and he gave her rosy cherubic cheek a quick peck and released her from his hug. Then he picked up her stuffed bear and kissed it, then her unicorn, then…

"OK Romeo, save some lovin' for Wendy! Good night already haha!"

"Good night!" and he flopped back on his bed as Mabel turned off the light.

He tried to whisper as quietly as possible:

_"I love you Dipper…I think I always have…"_  
>He closed his eyes, still smiling.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The next morning the rain clouds had cleared, finished with their mild sprinkling and as always the Oregon landscape responded with greener ferns, fresh pine scent and an earthy smell from the mud.

Wendy's alarm was still a few minutes from going off but a small sunbeam found a gap in her curtains, and gently woke her as it shined _good morning_ in her eyes. She smiled, the rose in her cheeks unable to hide a few delicate freckles sprinkled with an almost artistic flare across the bridge of her upturned nose and her cheeks.

She woke up still smiling and then closed her eyes briefly, snuggling the pillow. She felt well rested and cozy, and just knew today was going to be a happy day. She opened her eyes and saw everything differently now.

She threw off the blankets and hopped out of bed, and swaying to the closet began humming a chipper tune.

Her gaze skipped right over her usual plaid shirts and jeans, and scooted over her hangers in the closet, and looked at her girly clothes: dresses and tops and other things she hadn't worn in a while.

She picked out a fuzzy teal dress with a turtleneck and some shiny silver-black leggings to go with it, and a sliver scarf with thin red stripes and a matching knit beanie. Then in the back she pulled out some knee high black leather boots.

_If this doesn't keep me warm, he will!_

She made a pit stop at the bathroom and then went to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Whoa, hate to tell you sis but your attempt to look special failed."

"Shut up twerp."

She wanted to eat breakfast at home so she could then brush her teeth and make sure she looked kiss-ably _irresistible _to Dipper. After making French toast in record time, and stealing a strip of her brother's bacon and then back to the bathroom to brush and apply a little makeup, then flew past the kitchen so as to pre-empt any more comments from the Neanderthals that were somehow impossibly related to her.

_Dipper is so smart, finally someone I can have interesting and fun conversations with…well…we always had that! But now…now I can appreciate it even more, being his girl. Wow, I like the sound of that! HIS girl…_

She almost skipped to the shack. _Ha! I haven't skipped since 4__th__ grade. What's come over me? Is Dipper mature or am I getting younger?_

She looked up at the birds fluttering between the pine trees, and then looked down and noticed that even the tiniest little flowers were sprinkled with dew, drinking in the last nights rain, and growing, almost shouting to the sun_, feed me!_

She smiled at the amazing place she lived in, the place she used to think was boring to death was now full of life and nature and colors and…wonder. She giggled.

…

Mabel was already downstairs, eating toast in the shack gift store so she could talk to Wendy before Dipper, who was still asleep.

_Wendy always dated older guys, or at least guys the same age. But even though they were older they never lasted. My brother has got to be the youngest guy she ever kissed, so it will probably last shorter than all of them! He was on cloud nine last night but today she'll rain on his parade, and when she does I'm gonna give her a piece of Mabel mind!_

The entry door chimed, and to Mabel's surprise in walked a Wendy she had not seen before. Black boots stepping loudly on the wooden floor in a sultry strut as she swiveled around like she was on a catwalk to turn around and close the door. Then swiveling on heel again to strut behind the counter, hips, arms, legs and hair all poetry in motion.

"Oh my _gaw_…Wendy?"

"Hi Mabel." Wendy was smiling as she always did, but…a smile with lipstick, eye shadow, flirty eyelashes and a figure hugging cotton dress with tight leggings and…_Well! This is a different Wendy!_

Even when she went out with Robbie she never looked this girly!

"Uh…hi! Wow, you look _really _nice today. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion. I just wanted to dress…warm…after the rain last night."

"Wow, well, you sure look warm all right, downright _HOT_ actually haha! Uh…does my brother have anything to do with this?" and she wiggled her famous Mabel eyebrows.

"Haha! Well maybe a little bit. But no need to get all dramatic about it. I mean, Dipper and I have known each other for over two years now, so what's the big deal?" and she sat down, crossing her legs.

Mabel pulled up a stool across the counter from Wendy as she sat down behind the register, and looking both ways then lowered her voice into gossip mode.

"So it's true? You and my brother are…like together? Bf and gf?"

Wendy laughed up at the ceiling with eyes closed.

"Haha…well…" _I've got nothing to hide. My family already knows, so…_"Yeah. Bf and gf haha!"

"Wendy, is this for real? You're not like…"

"Mabel…" Wendy leaned forward and folded her arms across the counter, looking Mabel in the eye.

"Mabel, I love him. I'm _in _love with him. I can't help it." She leaned back in the chair, hands behind her head."Feel better?" and she gave a friendly smile.

"Ohmygaw ohmygaw ohmygaw like…you could become my sister-in-law!" Mabel was blushing and gushing, eyes wide and her hands on her cheeks.

"Haha! Oh my gaw Mabel, slow down! He's only 14 and I'm not legal yet either!" But she was still smiling. "We'll just pretend, ok? _Sis_?" and she reached over and held Mabel's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Wow Wendy this is amazing. I can't believe it! What…what changed your mind after the past couple of years? Dipper has got to be on cloud nine!"

"Yeah well I'm on the same cloud." And she leaned back smiling. She started talking as Mabel paid rapt attention, her face on her hands leaning on the counter.

"Dipper and I always had a lot in common. And I always admired the way he thought about things, and his good manners and well…but sometimes he can be such a guy, but also…he can be such…such _a man_." And her eyes gazed up unfocused as if recalling last night, and she licked her lips. "He's...grown..._a lot_."

"Wow! So like, when did you know it was _love?_"

"Well it had been knocking on my heart's door for a while but I was in denial, the dreams were trying to tell me…and then…last night I…I couldn't fight it anymore. He was so _irresistible_…I…I kissed him. And well…the rest is history." Then she stopped and stood up, and Mabel could tell it must have been because Dipper was coming down stairs.

Mabel could tell because suddenly she felt like Wendy didn't know she was there anymore, like there was no one in the room except Dipper and Wendy. She turned around and sure enough there he was, her brother wearing dark blue cotton pajama pants with green pine trees…and nothing else. He was rubbing his eyes.

"Wendy!"

"Dipper."

Wendy walked from behind the counter past Mabel as her brother jumped down the last three steps of stairs landing with a _THUD_ and then standing up from his landing crouch, slowly walked to meet Wendy halfway.

Mabel watched in elation with an ear to ear smile. _This is WAY better than any RomCom, LIVE romance right in front of my eyes! Just LOOK at the fireworks! Haha!_

"Dipper."

"Wendy." They looked at each others lips and then eyes as they came closer together.

They hugged and then kissed with eyes closed. A brief kiss that then broke as the lovers both turned to look at Mabel and then looked at each other in silent agreement.

_Oh my gaw they have their own lingo just like Dipper and my twintalk! _Mabel's mind was overloaded watching the two.

"Uh, let me get dressed Wendy, I'll be right back."

"Kay man." And she blew him a kiss as he turned around.

_Well that makes it official! I've seen it with my own eyes._

"Wow, you guys really do have a thing for each other!"

"Believe me now?"

"Yeah but Wendy…"

"Yeah buddy? I mean…_sis_?" and she smiled as she said it.

"You don't exactly have what I would call…an _endurance_ record with guys. My brother…"

"Your brother's heart is in good hands Mabel. He'll probably break up with me before I break up with him. I'm his first. He'll…" and now Wendy looked down at the floor with sad eyes.

Then she looked back up, with a brief smile that then vanished.

"Look Mabel, I have shopped around and I know, I _know_ that he is the one I want. But he…he has nothing to compare me to, and when he discovers there are other fish in the sea…well…I'll be old news."

And her eyes began watering. "Damn it. First time in ages I put on makeup and now…_snif_"

Mabel's heart went out to Wendy as she watched the redhead look up and delicately try to wipe away the tears without smudging mascara. _What she says makes sense._

"I'm sorry Wendy. Sorry for doubting your intentions. I hope you guys are together for like, forever!" and she hugged Wendy, and Wendy hugged her back.

"Thanks buddy. I mean…_snif_…**sis**…_snif_."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Upstairs Dipper pulled on a long sleeve black cotton turtleneck shirt, and swapped his pajama bottoms for blue jeans. Then remembering last night that his plaid shirt seemed to ease his acceptance into the Corduroy household, decided to put on a green and black plaid wool shirt with thin red lines as a kind of jacket, and then stepped into his mountain boots. He looked around for his cap but couldn't find it, so pulled on a black knit cap, brown wavy locks pushing out from underneath. He made a pit stop at the bathroom to brush away morning breath and then headed down the stairs. But then he saw…

_Oh no. What did Mabel SAY to her?_

The girls were both crying and holding onto each other.

"Wendy? Wendy are you OK? _Mabel!_ What did you say to her?"

Wendy looked up and seeing Dipper quickly turned around, and grabbing a tissue from the counter began dabbing her eyes as carefully as she could without a mirror.

Dipper rushed to her and holding her shoulders from behind turned to look at his sister.

"What happened Mabel?"

Mabel wiped her tears. "Oh brobro, it's just girl talk."

Wendy turned towards Mabel and smiled at her. _Thanks for covering…sis._

Then she turned to face Dipper, and still unsure of the state of her makeup looked up at him briefly and then turned to the side.

"It's OK Dipper _snif_…we were just talking, that's all."

"She didn't like, insult you or anything? She can be relentless when she's curious." And he gave Mabel an unhappy look.

"Nah, it was nothing like that. Really, Mabel and I are good. Better than good." And she turned to smile at Mabel again. "Ain't we sis?" and she reached out with her hand.

And Mabel smiled in between sniffs and nodded. "Big sis!" and reached back and the two held hands. Then Wendy let go and faced Dipper, and wrapped her arms around him.

"I need a hug."

Dipper held her tight in his arms, kissed her cheek and leaned his head and against hers.

She whispered so as not to let the crying be heard in her voice. "You're so warm."

"Yeah well I just got outta bed. Do you want me to make you some breakfast?"

"Nah I ate at home. It's ok."

"Hot chocolate then? Coffee? A can of Pitt on the rocks?"

"Ha. Well, the hot chocolate sounds good. _Snif_."

"I'll leave you two alone." And Mabel climbed up the stairs, wiping her nose but still smiling.

Wendy kissed him on the cheek and then leaned back to look at him. "I must look like an unholy wreck."

"You look like a goddess. An angel of the forest. Or of the city. Seriously Wendy, I don't care about makeup, I love you. Although you _do_ look extra gorgeous this morning."

"Thanks. You look rather handsome yourself." And she finally smiled as she adjusted his plaid collar "Even if you haven't shaved yet this morning. Looks good on you."

"There, now you're thousand times prettier. I love your smile."

He held her hand as she smiled and pulled her to the kitchen.

…

He got out the tea kettle and then walked over to the fridge.

"So, can you at least give me a hint? Did it…have anything to do with us? 'Cause, I don't want Mabel messing us up you know? She gets these little schemes in her head…"

"S'ok Dip, really. It had nothing to do with Mabel. Honest."

"Kay." And she admired him as he pulled the gallon of milk from the fridge. _Dang long sleeves_.

"I didn't… _say_ anything earlier…?"

"Nope." And she walked over to him and held him from behind as he poured milk into the tea kettle, leaning her head on the back of his shoulder. "You only say the nicest things. You make me feel like a woman, an adored woman." And she kissed the back of his neck. Then she sighed before she spoke again.

"But…I know how you love a good mystery Dipper."

He turned on the stove, adjusted the flame and then turned around to hold her.

"I want to know what makes you cry. I have never seen you cry except once when I proved Robbie was messing with your mind with that song he plagiarized a couple years ago."

She looked at his lips and then back up at his eyes, smiling. "Step away from the stove, I don't want your shirt catching fire."

They twirled around still holding each other and he sat down at the table, dragging her down with him to sit her on his lap.

"Eeep!" and he smiled at her surprise as he forced her to sit.

He glanced down at her legs as she crossed them. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Those boots really look…kinda… good on you." He blushed. "You… always had… great legs." And he kissed her cheek to hide his embarrassment as he bravely tried to compliment her to help her stop crying. "Is that ok to say? I mean…polite? To say? To a girl?"

She closed her eyes, and then turned to kiss his lips. They nuzzled noses and then opened her eyes.

"Dipper, I am like, your first girlfriend right? And your first date, your first kiss? We both know that."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean my love for you isn't the real thing. I know it is. Being…inexperienced doesn't mean…"

She placed two fingers on his lips. "Shhhh. I know baby. What I'm trying to say is…well…I had the opportunity to date other guys, and to meet other people, but you…you are just starting, and so like, I may be the first, but…I won't be …your last…" and she couldn't help it, the tears started again even though she shut her eyes tight and turned away.

He whispered as he placed his hand on her far cheek and gently but firmly turned her head back to face him.

"Wendy…there is no need for me to keep searching…when I already found heaven…" and seeing her tears began kissing each of them, wherever they trickled he kissed them, and the salty taste spurred him on.

"I love you Wendy. And I don't need anyone else. I don't want anyone else. You're all I need."

She smiled and then wrapped her hands around his neck and nuzzled his nose again.

"Well you sure do talk like you've been around you ol' smoothie. Where did you learn all of those sweet nothings?"

"I just say what's in my heart Wendy. It's true. I've heard some people find true love in old age, some find it in their teens, and some never find it. I just had beginner's luck I guess." And he kissed her cheek and lay his head against her chest as he held her on his lap.

"I can hear your heartbeat."

"Dipper, I am the luckiest girl in the world." And lifting his head by the chin she kissed him. Her soft and moist lips were electric, the warm intimacy of her giving herself to him made him forget everything else, he only need feed on her love for him. And he returned the French kiss with gusto: the morning shadow of his beard on her sensitive upper lip and chin made her tingle, and his strong arms around her waist made every muscle in her relax.

The tea kettle whistled in vain…


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Stan swiveled out of bed, grabbing his glasses from the nightstand and stepped into his slippers, then began scratching himself as he started shuffling to the kitchen for some coffee.

"Eh, sounds like business is slow, I only heard the door once this morning…_the heck_?"

He had come to the kitchen to find Wendy, a _different _Wendy, and not only different Wendy but a Wendy sitting on his nephew's lap, sucking his face off!

_She's dressed to kill! The boy doesn't stand a chance, she's too old for him!_ He folded his arms.

"Uh-_HEM!_"

The lovers broke and turned around, surprised to see Stan wearing a face even more unhappy than usual.

_Oh-oh._

"Mornin' Grunkle Stan." Dipper held tightly onto her as if to say _stay where you are._

"Mornin' boss." Wendy held on to Dipper's neck returning his squeeze, and lowered her eyelids. _Show them no fear! Never let them see you sweat!_

"If you want me to _stay _your boss we gotta talk." And he pointed to the shack office as if ordering her there.

Dipper slipped his arm under her leg and tightened his grip with the other arm and stood straight up lifting her out of his way, Wendy letting a _yelp!_ out with surprise at his sudden strength, then he put her down standing her up so he could stand and turn to face Stan with an equally unhappy look.

"Anything you want to say to her Grunkle Stan you can say to the both of us. I know what you're thinking."

"Do you now? You don't even know what _she's_ thinking. You think you do but you don't."

Wendy felt insulted and crossed her arms, she leaned forward. "Do you have any idea what you're talking about? "

But Dipper placed an arm in front of her. "I got this Wendy."

"Dipper, she's three years older than you. You think this is gonna last? She's had more boyfriends than the shack's got termites…"

"_THAT'S IT!_ Listen Grunkle, if we want each other it's nobody's business but ours. "

"Ah but your business _IS_ my business as long as I am your legal guardian at the moment, and you're under age."

Wendy chimed in again pushing Dipper's arm down. "So am I but you hired me without a work permit." Stan frowned even more if it was possible but said nothing.

She turned to Dipper. "Sorry Dipper, it was too easy to pass up." They smiled at each other.

"S'ok!" and he winked at her. Then he turned to Stan, but now his face was pleading, and his voice lighter.

"Grunkle Stan: This girl of my dreams gave me my first kiss. Would you deny me that?"

"And she'll give you your first heartache kid. _That's _what I want to deny."

_"BUT EVERYONE GETS THEIR HEART BROKEN!"_ Everyone turned around to see Mabel. She ran to Dipper and Wendy and grabbing their hands placed them together, hand in hand.

"I should know! You didn't stop me from my first kiss from Mermando, or my date with Norman, or keep me from having the whole crew of _Sev'ral Timez_ upstairs. Dipper deserves the same chance Grunkle Stan."

Stan looked at Wendy, still frowning.

"Wendy, you…you be _careful_ with him, got it?"

_Here we go again_. She let go of the frown and relaxed her eyebrows, almost pleading.

"Stan, he will probably get tired of me before I do. I'm done shopping around. He's just started…"

"Wendy, I'm not shopping…"

She turned to face Dipper so Stan couldn't see her far eye, which she winked. _Let me handle this one_. He nodded.

"I know Dipper. But Stan needs to be reminded what it was like to be young."

"I remember. I remember girls like you who I loved dancing with, loved the same jukebox music, and were really hitting it off…until a longhaired psycho hippie Romeo came by and poof! Gone."

Mabel and Wendy looked at each other in new understanding. They went to Stan, one on each side taking his arms. Mabel spoke first.

"I'm sorry Grunkle Stan. But would you have wanted to be kept safe from getting to dance with her, never to have danced at all? Give my brobro a chance. "

"And me too." Everyone looked at Wendy now. "You think I _enjoy_ breaking up with guys? You think I _don't_ want stability and security? That's what I've been looking for and finally I realize it was in front of me all the time. Through bad and good, Dipper has stuck with me, even when I was dating other guys. Please don't deny me the guy that can finally still my restless heart."

Stan looked at Wendy and then turned to look at Mabel. Then he looked up at Dipper.

"I oughta have my head examined."

Wendy laughed. "Yep, you should."

Then they all laughed.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

That evening after the shack closed for the day Dipper walked Wendy home. Stan and Wendy's family knew about their relationship now, and so they held hands fearlessly as they strolled down the dirt road.

"You ready for the world?" She smiled as she said it but Dipper could hear just a hint of worry.

"I've _been_ ready. Now that you're by my side I am more than ready, for _anything_." And leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.

She returned it, and then pointed to the patches of tiny white flowers with yellow centers on the side of the road.

"I love those little flowers."

He let go of her hand and ran over to them, picking three of them. He returned and stuck them in her scarf by her collarbone.

"Aw, thanks." And she kissed him again. "Isn't it a beautiful sunset?"

He looked at her eyes and made it clear what he meant. "It sure is." She smiled back and then looked up at the sky as she asked him a question.

"How can the same place I lived in for years suddenly be the most beautiful paradise? Even the dirt and grass?"

"I was wondering the same thing. I think it is because when we have someone to share it with then it means more, a lot more." Then he ran ahead of her and turned around to face her walking backwards, bowing repeatedly.

"I worship the ground you walk on! Haha!"

She laughed. "OK, don't be a pushover, it isn't attractive."

Dipper stopped and turned around and squinted as he looked ahead. "There's Tambry, Robbie and Thompson."

She caught up with him and held his hand again. "No problem. None of them are a match for me." And Wendy squeezed his hand. "Or us."

He looked back at her and smiled. She smiled back with determination shining confidently in her face.

As they approached the crew the lovers could see the others expressions clearly: surprise, disgust and confusion.

Tambry spoke first, eyes wide. "Oh…my…gaw…Wendy, you've got to be kidding…"

"Pun intended." Robbie added with disdain.

"Babysitting?" Thompson asked Wendy innocently. _He is so clueless he doesn't even know he made a jab._

The couple only held hands more tightly and now touched shoulders.

Dipper looked at Wendy in silent encouragement. _With you by my side I can face anything._

She knew the best defense is to let Dipper be himself, and nodded to him. _Go for it, I'll back you up._

"Haha! Uh yeah, someone's got to keep you guys outta trouble. I never should have shown you how to break into the convenience store. I've contributed to the delinquency of minors." Then Wendy nudged his shoulder.

"That's ok Dipper, give them a chance, they can be fun. I'm sure they remember how fun _you_ can be." Her voice was a playful sarcasm. This seemed to push Robbie's buttons.

"Uh Wendy, I think _YOU_ are contributing the delinq-whatever. Maybe it'll be an improvement. What's the matter, can't find a real man?"

"No, not until now." She paused and let that sink in. She used to go out with Robbie. "But now I have found someone who gets me."

Tambry was still not convinced. "I hope he doesn't get _all_ of you. That might be illegal."

"Tambry, I am not with him for your hopes. I am with him for mine." And she turned to face Dipper and kissed him on the lips. The two closed their eyes, Dipper raising his hand to the back of her neck, and then slowly they both wrapped their arms around each other as the kiss intensified and became more passionate.

Tambry's mouth fell open. Suddenly she turned to Robbie. "How come you never kissed me like that?" Robbie scowled.

Thompson was staring too. _Wow, Dipper is a lucky guy!_

Wendy and Dipper came up for air and then turned to face the three, smiling. Wendy then turned her face to the side smiling and mockingly fanned herself. "What a guy! Woo!"

Tambry turned back to face them. With a small smile she asked:

"So like, when did this happen?"

"And why?" Robbie asked with sarcasm. Tambry glanced at Robbie with disapproval but turned back to Wendy.

"Last night." And Wendy playfully touched Dipper's nose. "He's so romantic!"

Tambry smiled. "Really?"

"Really." And now Wendy wrapped her arms around Dipper's arm as Dipper rearranged the tiny flowers on her scarf.

"Come on Wendy, let's get you home."

"OK." She turned to Tambry. "Sorry, gotta go. He's gonna take me home." And she smiled.

"Uh ok. Bye." And Tambry waved.

And the couple walked right through the middle of the three and down the road.

Thompson seemed to finally get it. "Well what do you know?"

"I know it's pathetic." Robbie turned around.

"Huh. You know…actually they do kinda make a cute couple." And Tambry took a picture of the back of the couple as they walked off into the distance. "This is gonna make some waves on my blog!" and she smiled…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Yo, Nate! Check out Tambry's blog!"

The long haired blond turned his phone display around to show the dark haired Nate.

Nate reached over the table but Lee pulled it back.

"Whoa! No barbecue sauce on the phone dude. Respect the phone!"

Nate frowned and went back to eating Smokey Joe's Best Ribs.

"Meh, who cares, she just posts a bunch of gossip anyway…"

"Wendy is with Dipper now."

"So? Wait, what do you mean 'with' Dipper, like, with him someplace or like…"

"Like, _with_ him. Like he's her latest boyfriend!"

"Whaaaaaa…? Lemme see that!...They're holding hands. Ummmm so that doesn't mean anything does it? Is this photo shopped?"

"No man, it's legit! Look what she says: '_Dipper now boyfriend of insane 17 year old. Saw them swap spit, live, n/k_ "

Nate took off his baseball cap and scratched his head. "She's joking right? That punk is like, 5 years younger than her or somethin' right?"

"No man, he's a freshman, Wendy's a junior, so like two or three years. I think it's three 'cause the way the birthdays happened they are only two years apart for like, six months, and then like, three years apart another six months or something."

"You're such a nerd Lee."

"Not as much a nerd as Dipper. Remember that time he fixed up that old VHS tape player? Wendy was like, all happy and stuff so she could watch a bunch of old movies."

"Huh yeah. And now he is her boyfriend? So…it was like a plan, huh? Make her all happy and then she kisses him or something and then like, makes her like him. I shoulda thought of that, then I coulda made Tambers sorry she didn't…" and he stuffed a rib in his mouth.

"Haha! Like you could fix a tape player. Oh man, it's still not over for ya yet huh dude? Move on! But yeah, Dipper may have got new street cred but Wendy _LOSES_ credit, I mean like, why hang out with that clown when I am older and available?"

" 'Cause trading a clown for a bigger clown isn't an upgrade man."

"Shut up man. I swear, I don't get girls sometimes, Tambry goes for Robbie, and now Wendy goes for a punk."

"Yeah, like what's wrong with me? "

"Well let's see…" and Lee started counting on his fingers.

"Don't go there, it was like a retro-torical question or whatever. What does a freshman have that we don't?"

The two boys sat silent for a few minutes, eating and looking down at the table.

"Uh…I still don't get it."

"Me neither."

An awkward silence while the two stared at each other.

"It's…it's my hat isn't it?"

"More like your face dude haha!"

"Shut up. I don't see you trying to hit on either Wendy or Tambry, so what's the matter, no guts?"

"Dude, I got more class than to act desperate like you."

"I ain't desperate! Anyway, chicks are too much trouble. And expensive."

"Yeah, too much for a guy that can't even afford a cell phone and uses mine all the time."

Nate looked up and closed his eyes tightly.

"OK man, I get it, no job, no money, no chicks."

Lee felt bad all of sudden. "Hey man, sorry. You know, Dipper ain't got a real job and he is with Wendy, so…so you don't always have to have money dude."

Nate opened his eyes and looked down at the table. Then looked up at Lee.

"I'm gonna get a job!"

"Yeah! That's the spirit man!"

Nate stood up. "Hella! TODAY! A JOB! But…you're right…" and he sat back down. "Dipper doesn't have a job and he still gets to swap spit with Wendy. What's he got goin' on?" and he scratched his head again.

Lee looked down and then back up. "He is always taking Wendy places, like, exploring and stuff."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Plus, he is always kissing up to her. Treats her…treats her like, what? A princess and stuff. Am I right? Like a gentleman."

"I thought chicks wanted a tough guy?"

"Well maybe some chicks don't."

Another minute went by as the two were lost in thought and somehow found their way back. Nate spoke first.

"So like, I treat her all special and stuff, like flowers maybe and take her someplace she hasn't explored before!" and for the first time all day Nate smiled.

"I dunno man, maybe. But I think Dipper's got some other edge too. Something else."

"Like what else man? Gimme some ideas dude, I want to steal her from Dipper."

"_WHAT?_ You for real man? I don't think Wendy gives a nickel for you. Not her type. I thought you were talking about getting a new girl. Someone besides Wendy and Tambers."

"Wendy's hot man. She's always been hot, but I…I never said anything 'cause as soon as she breaks up with one dude she's got another. I can't get in edgewise. But now that I got a plan, as soon as she dumps Dipper, I'll be ready."

"Haha! Man, you serious?"

Nate stood up and started walking away.

"Serious."

"HEY! What about your part of the check!"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Wendy and Dipper had arrived at her cabin just as the last of twilight gave way to the eternal stars high up in the moonless night. Thousands, tens of thousands of stars were sprinkled thickly across the sky. Walking with arms around each other side by side, they paused to face each other and remained under the twinkling atmosphere just in front of her front porch steps. Then they spoke in the hushed voices of lovers who don't want fathers to know they were back.

"It's a bit chilly." Then she placed her hands and arms inside the front of the plaid shirt Dipper used for a sort of jacket, and reaching around the black tee shirt inside she hugged him closely.

He nuzzled her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and smiled with relaxed eyes.

"You're tougher than that. But I'm glad your chilly."

She smiled back and closing her eyes brought her lips to his in tender contact, and then began tilting her head as she began nibbling and licking in sensuous demand. He could only respond in kind, with shallow licks and nibbles. Feeling her moist kiss, her cute little upturned nose against his face, and reaching down, her soft waist, his heart began pounding. He could hear it as he also heard the music of her moans and whimpers as her mouth expressed no doubt that she loved him, their kisses keeping them together as they swayed and swiveled in a slow dance to the song in their hearts.

"Mmmmmm Dipper."

_Funny how my name on her lips sounds like honey, like heaven and ecstasy!_

"Wendy."

_When he calls my name I am all his. If only he knew how much power his words have over me!_

Now they drew each other closer, chest to chest, hips to hips, her leg bent and interlocked between his, her upper thigh against his manhood. They were one in mind, body and soul as they merged in the language of love.

Coming up for air, she sighed as she reached up and with a gentle hand caressed the side of his face, feeling the five o'clock shadow of his beard. Then something caught both their eyes above: a shooting star flickering at an angle, an incandescent flash blessing their night.

"Make a wish." And she touched his nose again, an affectionate and playful punctuation to her question.

"That you are with me forever."

"Shhh! You're not supposed to tell." And she pinched his cheek as they nuzzled noses again. Then another meteor streaked suddenly, catching their gaze again. They looked back down at each other, then he spoke.

"Done." Then he looked up at the sky. "Thanks for the redo!"

"SHHH! My dad…"

"_WENDY!_ WHERE'S DINNER?" Manly Dan was shouting from the kitchen but they had no trouble hearing him outside in front of the cabin.

"ALRIGHT dad! ALRIGHT! Coming! Sheesh!"

Then she turned from addressing the door to lovingly gaze at Dipper again.

"Gotta go."

"Kay."

And he kissed her again, this time holding the back of her head as his arm tightened around her slim waist. She lifted both hands to his chest but didn't push…too hard.

Then they looked at each other one last time as they broke apart, and smiling with affectionate stares they waved to each other.

She went inside and closed the door, and Dipper turned around to walk home. He felt like he was floating...

…

"Now until you get your gun permit, you can only carry a flash light and the two way radio, but if you use a Maglite it is pretty damn intimidating. Your Gravity Falls Security uniform is new so it looks good now, but after you wash it you are still expected to keep it ironed and in good repair, looking professional at all times. That also is intimidating. Clean and pressed, got it?"

"Yeah, got it, and uh…thanks for hiring me, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome Nate. And with that attitude you'll go far. Have a good night, and a safe one."

"Good night…uh…sir."

The Security Manager got in his jeep and left the strip mall parking lot. Nate smiled, and then adjusting his belt and his uniform hat, he began walking his beat. He held onto the hand gun safety book tightly as his ticket to a brighter future.

_Soon I'll have a gun! Hella!_ And though he frowned as he looked around his beat, he was smiling inside.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Almost a mile from Wendy's cabin a happy young man approached a forest intersection of a dirt road and a slightly paved road that led to town.

_I want to get her something. _His mind went to earlier in the day when she said "_I love those little flowers_."

_She likes those little flowers, but maybe some bigger flowers? For the counter at the shack next to the register, to surprise her when she comes to work in the morning. And maybe a card or something. Or…I know! A picture of the two us in a nice frame for her to keep by her bed? And one for me too. Yeah! That's it! A couple of picture frames. And then print out the pictures of us from her phone or Mabel's._

Whistling, Dipper Pines took the paved fork in the road towards town.

…

Thirty minutes into his shift Nate was writing down in his notepad the license plate of a car he saw parking in the strip mall lot, when he noticed the passengers were not patronizing the local businesses but walking across the street to the Juke Joint, whose parking lot was full_. _

_I'll give them a warning this time. Next time I'll call the tow truck! Ha!_

He then took out a yellow security report form and wrote out the warning. _They'll think it's a ticket when they first see it. Then maybe next time they won't illegally park._

He slipped the form under the windshield wiper, and then turned around to continue his beat to the rear of the stores to check and confirm the back doors were locked and secure.

Inspecting the alley behind the stores he found a brown bottle on top of a trash can. He suddenly took a stance, knees bent and legs splayed, determination in his face, and then looking both ways he returned focus to the bottle. Like a quick draw cowboy he grabbed his Maglite and flipping it over and catching the lens side in midair, swung the butt of the heavy black flashlight towards the bottle, smashing it instantly in a sparkling explosion.

"Ha! You're messing with the wrong guy!" He blew across the end of the light and slipped it back into his holster and stood up, straightening his shirt collar and belt, and then pulling out the radio called in a mock report without actually pressing the transmit of the radio:

"_SHHHH_: Headquarters: Perpetrator neutralized. No backup required at this time. Nate out. _SHHHH_…" He resumed walking, grabbing each door handle and turning to make sure they were locked…

…

Wendy wiped her forehead as she left the kitchen; once the menfolk had food in front of them they no longer took notice of her and so wouldn't mind if she took a bath. She could do the dishes later.

_Someday I'll move out. Someday_. She closed the bathroom door and started the bath, hot water first to give time it to warm up.

She had already changed out of her dress and leggings earlier to avoid spattering grease staining her nice clothes as she cooked dinner. Now she had only to unzip out of her jeans and pull off a white tee. She added some eucalyptus bubble bath to the water and inhaled deeply. "mmmmm!" _When I get my own place I'll make sure it has a bathtub! Maybe…_and she allowed a herself a brief fantasy as she now turned on the cold water and began adjusting the temperature_. Maybe Dipper and I…if we get married, years from now…we could get our own place…_

She imagined a home where they would both come home from their respective jobs, have a nice dinner, and then …_then take a bath_…She closed her eyes, smiling. She turned off the water and then turned on her romantic playlist, and then stepped into the bath. "_Ahhhhhhhhh!_"

She laid back in the tub, and slipped further holding her nose to completely submerge, and then sat back up to lean against the back of the tub in relaxation. The slow tempo music seemed to seep into her soul as she soaked away her cares. _What cares? Everything's perfect. This is the happiest I have been in a while. Before him I was like, so stressed out, and now…now everything's easy…_

She inhaled the eucalyptus scent and then suddenly the music was interrupted by a brief chime of a notification on her phone, and then the music resumed. She reached over to the towel to dry her hand and then flipped open the phone. "_Nate now insane security guard downtown. Wrote my parents a warning."_ Wendy smiled.

"So he finally got another job! Good for Nate, but maybe bad for Gravity Falls." And she restarted the MP3 player app and set it down to slip back into the bubbles, smiling...


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Lee was pedaling back home from town, and as the landscape became more forest and less town he noticed a figure walking towards him on the side of the road.

"Hey, Dr. Fun Times!" he coasted to a stop in front of Dipper.

"Hey Lee."

"I heard that you're giving Wendy like, private fun times now eh? Haha! Congrats man, that's a big score for a freshman. She's hard to please."

"Oh well uh, I uh…" Dipper blushed. "It isn't as far as all that. I mean, yeah, we're together now. But I…it isn't just for fun times man, we…" and he swallowed and went for it. "We love each other."

Lee still smiled. "So it's serious eh dude? Haha! Well, better armor-all your heart man, Wendy doesn't keep boyfriends very long."

Dipper became angry inside but kept his cool. "Maybe she just didn't find the right guy…until now. Haha."

Lee socked him in the shoulder. "Well whatever happens man, roll with it. It's cool."

"Thanks Lee. I'll…I'll remember that. Haha. See ya."

"See ya Doc."

And the tall blond started pedaling. Then he turned around and shouted as he kept pedaling away from Dipper.

"Oh hey, stop by the strip mall and check out Nate! He's all like, security cop guy now and stuff. See ya!"

And he turned around and pedaled out of sight.

Dipper looked down at the ground for a moment in thought. "Security cop guy?" Shaking his head he kept walking, he could make out the strip mall in the distance now.

…

Wendy's phone chimed again just as she was toweling down from her bath. She flipped it open.

"_Just saw your bf walking to town. Told him check out Nate's new gig. It's true right? Bf+gf?_"

Wendy looked up to see her concerned face in the mirror. _He is walking to town? Nate's new gig?_

She looked down at her phone and started texting quickly…

"_Meet me at the fork, need a favor man. "_

Then she wrapped herself up and dashed to the bedroom to get dressed.

…

Nate came out from behind the stores, and started across the parking lot again. Then he squinted as he looked down the road.

_Dipper! Well if he is looking for trouble like he caused at the community pool two years ago he's gonna find a different kind of trouble!_

Dipper approached the stores and started checking to make sure the antique store was still opened. His best chance for some really cool frames would be there. He walked briskly now as he got closer. He reached to double check his wallet as walked across the parking lot.

"_HALT!_ Hands up slowly!"

Dipper looked up to see Nate with his Maglite held up ready to swing.

"What the…? _Nate_? What the heck are you doing? Leave me alone." And he resumed walking to the store.

"Oh no you don't, you're not gonna make a mess of this place like you did the public pool! You're a menace!"

"Nate, you're crazy! Why would I make a mess of this place?"

"You won't on my watch, that's for sure!"

Dipper shook his head and approached the store door. He pulled out his wallet.

_A GUN? NO WAY!_

_WHACK!_ The wallet went flying and smacked against the store window and dropped into the strip mall trashcan_. "OW!"_ Dipper held his hand squinting in pain and then with wide eyes and mouth open in shock he looked back at Nate who now raised the Maglite high again. Dipper started to shout and was about to bolt but then he stopped and closed his mouth.

Nate began to swing down with all his weight but _UGH!_ It was stuck! He looked up.

Manly Dan held the Maglite with a death grip and then frowning with angry eyes, began lifting the flashlight up, with Nate holding on. His feet left the ground.

"Whaaaaa?" Looking around in panic he let go, and as he landed he got a _SLAP!_ in the face.

"Don't you **_EVER_** hit my boyfriend or it will be the last thing you ever _DO_!"

Reeling from the slap and shock he looked up to see Wendy Corduroy, with her arms straight down and fists clenched, looking _very_ pissed off! She looked as tough as her brothers in matching plaid shirts and jeans. Behind her the three brothers looked _very_ eager for a fight. Nate then jumped as he suddenly felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Dude, you need to chill. It's just a job man."

Nate turned around to see Lee, smiling.

Nate turned around to first make sure Manly Dan wasn't coming any closer but Wendy's dad remained where he was, growling, still holding the Maglite. Nate thought of asking for it back and decided quickly against it. Nate turned around back to Lee. Then he turned to Dipper, whose hand was being examined by a still frowning Wendy.

"I'm OK Wendy, it's just a little red, nothing broken. The fingers might get a little bruise."

Wendy lifted his hand to her lips and delicately kissed it. She smiled at Dipper and then walked right up to Nate, two inches from his face, frowning with clenched teeth.

What she said next was in a very low guttural growl that reminded everyone that her dad was Manly Dan, despite it still having a little female pitch to it. "Don't… give… me… a reason." And she turned around. "OK dad, let's go. You too, twerps." Manly Dan and the brothers walked back to the truck. Then she turned around. "You too Dipper. We'll give you a ride home."

He ran up to Wendy and her family. "Uh, thanks Wendy but I came here for some business, and haven't finished it yet. I'll be right back." And he smiled, then turned around. Walking up to Nate he very calmly but sternly spoke:

"Give me back my wallet Nate."

Nate blinked and then turned to look at the trashcan. Then looked at Lee who then glanced down inside it.

"It's OK man, it's mostly empty, the wallet's right there man."

Nate looked at the Corduroy family watching him from the parking lot and then with a frown looked at Dipper. Then he walked over to the trashcan and reached down and pulled it out. He brushed it off and then handed it to Dipper, who gently took it back, checked the contents and then started walking to the store. Just before he went inside he turned to Nate.

"Important business lesson Nate: The customer's always right." Then he went inside.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When Dipper came out of the store with his bag of picture frames, he noticed Manly Dan was of course in the driver seat, but Wendy _and_ her brothers were all in the truck bed in the back. He started to climb in the back but Wendy nodded_ no_ and pointed to the cab, smiling. Then he saw her dad looking back through the rear window, not smiling, and pointing to the seat in front next to him.

_Oh oh._

Dipper smiled and nodded and then opened the passenger door. Dan then looked ahead and started the truck as Dipper got in and buckled up, and closed the door.

Dan backed up the truck and then pulled out of the parking lot driveway onto the road back home.

Dipper nervously smiled and tried his best to sound calm.

"Thanks Mr. Corduroy, for _uh_, saving me back there. Thanks a lot."

Dan slowly turned to look at Dipper, still not smiling, but not frowning either, and then looked ahead.

"What would you have done if I hadn't been there?"

"Uh…probably run. Run fast."

Dan turned to look at Dipper briefly and then looked ahead again.

"Uh-huh. And what would you have done if Wendy had been with you?"

Dipper swallowed and furiously tried to think of a safe answer.

"Uh…well…first I would have made sure she was safe. And then we would…both run?"

He knew it was a bad answer as soon as he said it.

Again, Dan looked back at Dipper, but this time he frowned, then looked ahead again.

"Wendy wouldn't run."

Dipper knew that this was a conversation in an entirely different context from what he was used to, and it was no use faking it. "I…I know sir. She…would…probably save _me_."

Now Dan smiled but kept looking ahead.

"You're plum right she would."

Dipper allowed himself a smile since her dad was smiling. But then Dan turned back to Dipper and the smile was gone.

"You're smart. So I _expect_ you to think ahead, and _NOT _put her into situations where she _has _to save you."

"Yes sir! I don't want to put her in harm's way either! Honest! Nate was just crazy and…"

"You don't have the problem Nate has, which is why I put up with your shenanigans with my daughter."

Dipper turned bright red. "Uh no sir, I promise there are _no_ shenanigans…"

"Shutup, I'm trying to tell you something."

"Yes sir!"

Dan turned to Dipper and then turned his attention back to the road.

"Nate thinks being a man means being tough and dangerous."

"Well yeah it looked that way today…"

"Shutup!"

"Yes sir!"

Dan clenched his right hand and slightly pounded the steering wheel. Dipper was getting very nervous now.

"You need to use what nature gives you in life to survive. In your case…" and Dan turned to look at Dipper, sizing him up and looking him up and down, then back to looking ahead. "…in your case, don't ever try tough your way out. I could teach Wendy to tough her way out 'cause she's got a lot of me in her. But you…you would be better at _preventing_ situations that call for being tough. You got the brains and the gift of gab. I'll bet you were never in a fist fight once."

Dipper's face grew stern. "Actually…I _was_ in a fight, twice. Once with Robbie, a guy three years older than me. And once with a robot the size of a five story building!"

Dan smiled and looked at Dipper again. "I never did like that boy." Then he stopped smiling.

"You got lucky. Don't count on getting lucky the next time. Use your brains. _GOT IT?_"

"Yes sir!"

Dan smiled as his gaze alternated between the road and looking at Dipper and then reached over and playfully socked Dipper in the shoulder.

"_OW!_" _That's gonna leave a mark!_

Dan's smile grew wider then he laughed. "A fight with Robbie! A fight with Robbie! Ha!" Then he tossed his head back and laughed even louder, turning to look out the back window at Wendy. Wendy turned around to see her dad laughing and then turning to Dipper gave him the thumbs up and a wink.

Dipper smiled back at her then smiled at Dan, as he rubbed his shoulder.

…

At the shack Manly Dan was busy talking to Grunkle Stan, who kept looking back at Dipper as Wendy put her arm around Dipper's. "C'mon, let's go show Mabel your hand. I want to make sure you get the best nursing care when I'm not here."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Oh my gaw Wendy no, she'll make a big scene over it…"

"_DIPPER! DIPPER!_ Are you OK? Tambry told everybody what Lee said!" Mabel ran out the front door carrying a first aid kit.

"It's OK Mabel, don't freak out! He just needs a little ice on his hand, kay?"

"Oh my gaw Dipper, I'm gonna _kill_ that idiot Nate!"

"Wow! Pretty intense there buddy! Chill out! He won't hurt Dipper again."

"_Ice! Ice!" _Mabel twirled about twice. "Why didn't I think of that!" And Mabel handed the first aid kit to Wendy and ran back to the shack.

Wendy laughed, which made Dipper smile and then laugh. Then smiling he looked at her with lowered eyes.

"You know, that first aid you gave me back at the parking lot…worked pretty good."

Wendy smiled too. She turned around to look at her dad, who was still talking to Stan, and then turned back to Dipper, and lifting his hand to her lips, gave it a lingering kiss. "Mmmmuwah!"

Dipper looked around Wendy to check her dad and then faced her and leaned in close, kissing her on the lips. "Mmmmmmmmm. First aid!"

"Maybe we can continue the treatment inside?"

"Well…there is the matter of the nursing staff…"

"Haha! Well uh, I'll have a talk with the staff." She turned around and shouted to her dad.

"_DAD!_ Dipper will walk me home later! Bye!"

Dan looked at the two of them and nodded, then shook hands with Stan and got back in the truck and left.

In the shack Dipper sat at the table with his hand in a bowl of ice water.

"Don't leave it in there too long or you can get freezer burn."

"OK Mabel, alright already. Seriously, I'm OK."

Wendy nudged Mabel with her elbow and winked. Mabel smiled and winked back.

"OK well, I guess I'll go check on Waddles." Then in a sing song voice: "Talk to you laaaaater…"

Wendy watched Mabel walk outside and then pulled Dipper's chair out a few more inches, and proceeded to sit down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. He looked up at her.

"Ah, I like this treatment, I feel better already."

Her face seriously seductive, and licking her lips she replied with half lowered eyelashes in a whisper.

"You ain't seen _nuthin' _yet."

Wendy tilted her head and rubbed her nose around his, her lips touching but slipping past his in a circular tease. Then she nuzzled his ear, working her way to his neck and then came back to his lips, and this time made moist contact, nibbling as she tilted her face gently and slowly up and down, working her mouth over his as she began to softly lick him. He licked back, his head slowly following her motion to keep their lips together. With his uninjured left hand he wrapped around her waist and slid his hand up and down her side, and then began a circular rubbing motion between her shoulders, slowly sliding down to rub the small of her back. He then gripped her hip and squeezed as he pulled her closer to him.

"mmmmmm Dipper…" it was almost baby talk, a whimper, tough Wendy was gone. Wendy the woman was sitting on his lap, her hands holding his head in place as she gave him the best affection she could with a kiss. They broke apart and he began kissing the small space of freckled skin he could find below her neck, exposed and uncovered by her shirt, where he found just the beginning of the top of her cleavage.

"Ohhhhh Dipppppppperrrrrrr." She held his head to her bosom looking up at the ceiling as pleasure electrified her body. He nuzzled around and then looked back up asking for a kiss without words. She looked back down from her ecstasy and kissed him, her tongue exploring further than ever before, with his trying to follow her lead.

_"EEEP!"_ She jumped up a few inches and then sat back down on his lap. He had pulled his other hand out of the ice water and grabbed the other side of her waist, his ice cold hand.

She looked down at him to see him smiling ear to ear, and she smacked the top of his head.

"You!"

"Sorry! I forgot." But he was still smiling.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

It was quiet at the shack Saturday night as Grunkle Stan and Mabel had gone over to Manly Dan's place for barbecue. Stan liked a free meal, and he and Dan were pleasantly surprised they had a lot in common: old songs from when they were younger, expired cider and complaining about the same Gravity Falls idiots, like Nate and Robbie.

Mabel was crushing on Wendy's brother. All three of them. Well, the youngest one was more cute than love worthy but she was investing in the future by introducing herself early ahead of the competition. She also wanted to try her best to get a selfie surrounded by all three. She started by sitting on the lap of the oldest one, for whom this was the first time he had _any_ girl sit on his lap, much less a romantic minded Mabel.

So it was this circumstance that left Dipper and Wendy alone to enjoy the brightly flickering and crackling fireplace, the slight scent of pine wood burning completing the fireplace experience. They were both lying on the rug in front of the fire, on their sides facing each other. The fire reflected tiny circles in their eyes, orange flickers that made their eyes dance in the dark room, and for a long time they simply stared into each other, holding hands.

Dipper reached across to her and took off her fur hat, peeling it backwards and letting it drop to the floor, so he could bring his hand back to brush back her red tresses behind her ear. She tilted her head with a lazy smile as he groomed her, and with relaxed eyes turned her head to kiss his hand.

"Need more first aid?"

Dipper smiled and traced her cheek as he slowly withdrew his hand to then place it gently across her forehead, and then brushed more of her thick tresses back from her face.

"Yeah." He leaned forward and kissed her. Now his hand reached around behind her back and shoulders and pulled her closer. She pulled back in a teasing smile, and laid down on her back, tracing his jawline and then with fingers under his chin her thumb rubbed his lips. She loved looking at his lips, and found it hard to believe that he was only fourteen and not seventeen like her.

He followed her as she laid back and now hovered over her, nuzzling her nose, then began nibbling her lips, running his hand through her hair, sliding down to her shoulder.

She reached around him to keep him in the kiss, and now opened her mouth. Dipper had by now learned well her silent language of desires and responded to her hunger for more. He loved feeling her under him, his leg resting between hers.

Now she was rubbing the small of his back and up and down his sides until reaching up, and taking off his hat she flung it towards the couch without looking. Her nails clutched at his thick locks of wavy brown hair and their sharp pointed edges on his scalp excited him, he loved her more when she was tough and physical.

He rolled completely over her to place his knees on either side of her legs, so he could again move her hair and reach her neck with his eager lips. He found her pale skin and brushing her hair away latched onto her neck and began sucking. He wanted to try what she had taught him his first time, and was rewarded by hearing her hissing his name.

"Ooooohhhhh Dipperrrrrrrrrrrr…" He moved a little lower to where her sensitive neck met her shoulders and began sucking again.

"Oh my gaw Dipperrrrrrrrrrrrr oh…my…gaaaaawwwww…"

He then went to his favorite place: her freckled skin below her neck, exposed by her unbuttoned collar. With a strong nose he burrowed farther down pushing the shirt down, his lips touching her there again with wet kisses. Now she was frantically clawing his back, his shirt barely keeping her sharp nails at bay, her head slowly rolling back and forth with eyes closed and mouth open.

"Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh…"

Still in his crouching position over her, he was now able to balance on his legs and thighs and so moved his hands to reach around behind his back and find hers, and clasping them gently brought them to their sides, and then over her head against the rug, and interlocked fingers with her. He held her hands against the rug and began kissing her neck again, and she could no longer keep her moans to whispers.

"Ohhhh wowwwww…yahhhh" then he silenced her loud moan with a kiss, and pressed his tongue to her lips.

He could feel her strength return, she was pushing back on his hands as she kissed him back but he moved forward to bring his weight from his legs to his arms and pushed her arms back down again. She moaned into his mouth as they French kissed and the feeling sent waves of pleasure through his brain, and elsewhere. He broke off the kiss and lowered himself to find her skin exposed by the shirt again, and as he leaned back to kiss her there she was able to push back and then roll him over on his back.

Now she spread her legs on either side of him, hands on his chest and continued the kiss. Her hair covered them both, completing their face to face connection, almost a private place inside her reddish strands. He could smell her all over and wanted more.

"I love you Wendy."

"I love you too."

They nuzzled noses as they were breathing hard and heavy, their warm air on each other, eyes searching eyes, then lips then eyes again, hands on each other's face, smelling each other, staccato kisses , licks, and sighs.

"Wendy, I've never felt like this before. It is the most wonderful thing in the world."

"Yes it is." And she smiled, tracing his jawline to his lips, and gave him a quick peck. She sensed he had a question, or…a need. She let her loving gaze and silence welcome anything he wanted to ask.

"Wendy…I…have you…uh…"

She smiled. "Yes?" and she kissed him in encouragement. She was beginning to guess his question.

Her encouragement was the answer he was looking for. He leaned up and kissed her, but now his hands slid down her sides to her bottom, and he squeezed. Gently at first and then harder as he explored how yielding she was there. Then he slowly rolled her over on to her back again. But now he lay next to her, on his side, his leg reaching over and again nestling between hers, interlocking and touching. He felt her thigh, and then sliding his hand over her hips he kept sliding as he continued the kiss, and then he hesitated as he felt her ribs just below her breast.

Wendy slipped her tongue between his lips and moaned in approval. So he slid his hand up further… and learned something new. Wendy murmured again in further encouragement so he squeezed and massaged her, becoming very excited himself. He broke the kiss for a moment.

"Beautiful. You're beautiful."

She smiled and grabbed his head by his hair and pulled him back into the kiss, and now she reached down with a hand and grabbed his rear, squeezing. Dipper smiled as he kissed, and Wendy could feel the smile and smiled too. Now both were smiling as they were kissing, and suddenly they broke apart laughing.

"That…that tickled!"

"Haha! First time?"

"Well yeah."

"That's ok, it was the first butt I touched too. Well except when I had to change my brother's diapers!"

Now they both howled in laughter.

"Oh my gaw, you're talking about your brother's butts! Heehee haha!"

"I know, right? Haha!"

Then she hugged him.

"I have so much fun with you Dipper."

"Me too. I don't remember what I used to do without you."

She smiled.

"You went exploring. Like you're doing now." And she smiled with lowered eyes.

Dipper blushed. "Well uh…yeah. Uh. Well I don't know…I mean, I never…like…with a girl."

"Me neither."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I never like, with a girl either! Haha!" then they both laughed up to the ceiling, and Dipper rolled off of her onto his back, chuckling. Wendy propped herself up on her elbow and placed a hand on his chest. Then she stopped laughing, but still had a grin. She looked at his chest and started tracing circles on him.

"You know Dipper, we really shouldn't."

He leaned up on his elbows too and looked at her, smiling too.

"I know. Well, what's the rush? I'm only 14 and got plenty of time. We both do."

"Yep. And we got each other." And she looked up at him, and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger, and then leaned forward and kissed him. "And that's enough."

"Yeah, it is."

And they began kissing all over again…


	23. Chapter 23

_(Author's Note: There have been questions about the meaning of the American phrase:_

_"Don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key." in the story. If you say "new key" fast, it sounds like "nookie"._

_I'll let you google that. :)_

Chapter 23

As Robbie and Tambry walked to the strip mall music store holding hands, they were going to pass the shack along the way. As they approached Tambry saw Dipper with a push broom sweeping the front porch. He was wearing a black tank top and blue jeans and mountain boots as he worked, biceps flexing as he pushed and pulled the broom back and forth. He paused to take off his hat and wipe his forehead, and then Wendy came out with a can of Pitt. Dipper took it and then kissed her. He put his hat back on and Wendy grabbed the brim and swiveled it side to side as if to adjust it and then she turned around to go back inside. Dipper made no attempt to hide his stare as she strutted back inside, with a sway that was never part of the pre-Dipper walk. Even from this distance Tambry could see him smiling and see the admiration in his eyes. _I have never seen Robbie look at me that way._

She then turned to look at Robbie. He had been watching her.

"So what are the losers up to?" He faced forward again trying to seem casual.

_He is always critical._

"Nothing actually. Except flirting..." She said it with a smile and hoped he got the hint.

"Ugh. They deserve each other. In the worst way." He said it without humor.

"…and kissing."

He looked at her as she said it. She smiled with lowered eyes and turned away from him to look ahead as they kept walking, and even felt like adding a little sway to her walk too, knowing her short maroon skirt would emphasize her walk, and tried stepping with more of a strut to bounce a little milkshake under her plum colored sweater and white tee. But he didn't seem to pick up on her vibe.

"A fourteen year old slobbering all over her? She's lost her mind."

Tambry frowned and threw off his hand. "_Tch!"_

"What?" The scorn was loud in his voice.

She ignored him and kept walking. Then before they were completely past the shack, she looked back at Dipper one more time. But this time he saw them. He took off his hat and used it to wave. He was smiling with sincerity.

She waved back. _He never liked Robbie…so he must be…could it be he is waving at me? We always got along…well, more or less._ She smiled too as she kept waving.

_I'm glad he doesn't lump me together with Robbie. He takes each person on their own. Wendy is right, he is a nice guy. _

She turned around to face forward again but she wasn't really looking. She didn't notice Robbie was watching her again.

_And he's kinda cute too_. She smiled and suddenly felt good inside, unaware of Robbie trying to broadcast a very unhappy look.

…

At the music store Robbie forgot all about Tambry as he took the first electric guitar off the wall and then began checking the tuning.

"Not again Valentino. When are you gonna buy one?" The store manager shook his head as he said it.

"Hey, I'm a potential customer! You wanna kill a sale?"

The manager walked back to the register. He knew the routine: Robbie will pick up every guitar, tune it, then play a few rifts, then put it back and pick up the next guitar and repeat. Then he would move to the electric bass guitars. Then the drums. Then the amps and microphones. Then leave. Without buying anything.

Tambry knew his routine too, and while she loved music and thought Robbie could play well she was also tired of the routine. She stayed outside when Robbie went in, and walked up to Nate who was on patrol. Well, on patrol meant sitting on the bench looking down at the radio listening to broadcasts, changing channels, looking for action to eavesdrop on.

Nate had been lucky to keep his job as the music store manager only chewed him out for hitting Dipper, when the antique store owner lady had told him what had happened. He said if it happens again he would tell the security company manager.

So Nate changed his scanning of perceived threats to look only for real threats, which were never around, and as result he spent most of his shift sitting out front on the bench and listening to the radio broadcasts from other guards elsewhere who seemed to have more exciting careers.

"Hi Nate, 'sup?"

"Hi Tambers." He looked up at her and then went back to playing with the radio._ The little fink, telling everyone in GF her version of what happened._

She smirked at his nickname for her, she hated it but by now tolerated it from Nate. Talking to Nate was still better than repeating guitar tuning for the fifteenth time.

"So Nate, You making some money now huh?"

"Yeah, a little. Gonna get a car." Then he looked at her and tried a jab. "Then I can get a girlfriend. A cute one."

_He still isn't over me turning him down. Well, he never made a move until…until I was with Robbie. But now… now I know what a jerk he is to people. Not like Dipper.  
><em>

She looked back at the music store._ Hmmmm Maybe I can make Robbie jealous and start paying attention to me._

"Yeah, well good man. Good for you."

She walked in front of him and faced him, hands on her hips to try and get his attention, but he kept staring at the radio. Then she remembered how Wendy flirted. She reached forward and swiveled his uniform hat, side to side, smile at the ready for when he looked up.

But he didn't, he kept looking down and instead he grabbed her hand and threw it away from his hat and adjusted his hat himself.

She frowned in disbelief, eyes wide. _"Huh!"_ and she stuck out her tongue at him. _Boys! Wendy is right, Dipper is a real man._ She spun around and walked away. She paused when she stepped off the strip mall porch and onto the parking lot. She looked back as she heard Robbie still tuning guitars and then faced forward and kept walking. All the way back. To the shack. With a sway to her hips.

…

Tambry had reached the fork. She had been trying to decide whether to add another boring guitar tuning trip to her blog or not. The number of hits to her blog had dropped after the third trip to the music store. One visitor even left the comment "You sure know how to have a hot date LOL". Then she checked voicemail and call history. Robbie hadn't even tried to message her or call her to see where she was. _He just doesn't give a damn about me does he?_

_On the blog I'm only telling everyone how pathetic I am, doing the same thing with Robbie every week, practically every day! No change in blog means boring life. Not like Wendy. She has got a little excitement going on now hasn't she? Lucky gal. And with a hunky young man. Yep, she's lucky. That thick hair of his. Thick and wavy. And…those eyebrows. And…that…smile…_

"Hi Tambry!"

"_GAH!_ WHAT THE…" She dropped her phone in the dirt road. Dipper was right in front of her and immediately bent over and picked it up, the black tank top failing to hide his arms flexing as he reached.

"Sorry! I didn't meant to scare you!" and he blew the dust off of her phone. Tambry stared as he pursed his lips and blew the front and then blew the back of her phone. Then he handed it to her. She was too overwhelmed to say anything at first, eyes wide and mouth open, but not in fear...

"I know, I know, I'm a scary guy Haha!"

Tambry finally smiled and reached for the offered phone. "Haha! Thank you." And as she grasped her phone she could feel what thick fingers and knuckles he had, as she unintentionally touched them in grasping her phone. Then her brain kicked in.

"Oh, I mean, not thank you for scaring me, I meant thanks for picking me up." She then realized with wide eyes what she said as soon as she said it. She smiled quickly. "I mean, picking_ it_ up! _It!_ The phone. Up. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Haha"

"Hey, you're welcome. It was my fault after all."

She smiled back at him and realized her heart was pounding.

"So uh, where ya going Dipper?"

"To town, gotta make a copy of the shack key for Grunkle Stan, he lost one so now we're down to one."

"Oh, well don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key heehee." And she smiled.

Dipper smiled like he didn't get it, which he didn't.

"Uh, OK haha." And he rubbed the back of his neck smiling.

"Heehee. Hmmm..." And she began swiveling her right foot behind her, hands nervously fondling her now blown phone. Her head was lowered, but her eyes were looking up at him through pretty eyelashes.

Dipper felt like he had to say something instead of just staring at her. "Soooo where _you_ going?"

She looked up now, classic Tambry disgust plain in her face as she looked to the side of the road.

"Oh uh_, tch!_ Robbie. He left me alone at the music store. Again. For the fifteenth time. I am soooo done with him."

Dipper stopped smiling.

"Oh, that's too bad. Leaving a pretty girl like you alone? It's his loss you know." And he smiled again.

_Oh my gaw, did he just compliment me? I wonder if he thinks I'm in the same league with Wendy?_

"Wow Dipper, thanks." And she looked to the side in modesty keeping her eyes on him and brushing back a lock of her purple hair behind her ear. Then she decided to woman up and be brave. She reached over and playfully tugged the brim of his hat.

"Haha. You're such a gentleman. And a handsome one too." The last she said with as close to a purr as she could muster. She wondered if he could read between the lines.

Dipper now noticeably blushed and looked down trying to hide under his hat. Tambry smiled at his reaction. _ I think he gets me..._

"Aw well, gotta go get a new key, see ya. Don't want to lose the old key or…whatever. Bye Tambry." And he quickly trotted off still looking down.

"Kay, bye! Don't be a stranger!" And she watched him for a while and then resumed walking home, looking back now and then until he had disappeared. But now she was smiling and thinking of what to say in her blog. She wanted to say so much but…_Wendy_…


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Wendy welcomed Dipper back to the shack with a quick peck on the lips. Then he walked past her over to Grunkle Stan and held out the new key and the original. Stan reached out and Dipper dropped both keys into his hand.

"Here Grunkle, don't lose the old key or you won't get a new key."

"Haha! Good one kid!" and Stan smiled.

"You're so funny." And Wendy reached out to Dipper and gave a gentle twist to his ear.

"Funny? Why, what's funny?"

"The joke you just made."

"Oh. I didn't know it was a joke, I guess I didn't get it when Tambry…" And Dipper went quiet as he looked at the floor in confusion, removing his hat and scratching his head.

Wendy now looked concerned. She tilted her head as she looked at Dipper and placed her hands on her hips. "Wait, Tambry? She said that? To you? When?"

Dipper put his hat back on and looked up. "This afternoon on the way to town. Well, she walking back from town as I was walking to town."

Wendy smirked. "Oh, her and Robbie, coming back from the music store for the millionth time?"

"Well no, actually she was by herself."

Wendy's smirk vanished. "Oh? So you and her talked?"

"Yeah. She dropped her phone and I picked it up and gave it to her. Then I told her I was getting a new key and she told me not to lose the old one. Or I wouldn't get a new one. Or something like that."

_The old drop the phone trick._ Wendy looked to the side in thought.

"Is something wrong? What's the joke? I don't get it."

Stan laughed, and then walked away. "I ain't touching that one! Haha!" He left Wendy and Dipper alone.

Wendy looked up and smiled. "Oh, it's an old joke. Uh…I'll explain it later. I'll be back in a few."

She went to the cash register counter to get her phone, and looked up Tambry's blog.

_She better not be trying to bait my boy. _She pulled up Tambry's website_. _

_Hmmm Tambry's blog hadn't been updated in over 24 hours. That's odd. She usually lets everyone know every little thing. Daily. Unless…unless she's trying to hide something. This cyber silence is really suspicious…She would wouldn't post something if she thought it would cause trouble! _Wendy looked up and frowned. Then she noticed Dipper had followed her into the shack store lobby.

"What's wrong Wendy?"

"Oh nothing. Yet. So what else did Tambry say Dipper?"

"Nothing much else. Except that she was done with Robbie, for leaving her alone so many times."

_She is done with Robbie… and starting with someone else…MY someone!_

"Wendy? What…what's on your mind?"

She realized she was letting her expressions mirror her thoughts. She smiled and walked over to Dipper and hugged him. They kissed briefly and then she whispered to him.

"Dipper, what if…what if Tambry…hit on you? What would you do?"

"What? No way!" He looks genuinely surprised. "She did no such thing babe, honest!"

_Her flirting went right over his adorably naive head. Good._

"But what if she did? What would you do?"

"I told you Wendy, I am not looking anymore, you're the only one I need. If she…hit on me…I would tell her no. And then leave. Period. I can never betray you Wendy, I love you!"

She nuzzled his nose.

"I know, but I just want you to be aware that…sometimes things happen, and to be prepared for it. I don't want her taking advantage of you, she is older than you and has…feminine wiles that…might …_snare_ you."

"Never Wendy. I love only you. There is nothing she can offer me to ever make me leave you or cheat on you, never."

And gently leaning forward, his lips possessing hers with conviction, he kissed her with passion to prove it. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and rewarded him with a sensuous kiss in a way he would not soon forget, a reward in advance for his faithfulness.

…

That evening before bed Tambry, wearing a lavender baby doll nightgown was sitting in front of her computer. Usually she would type all night and go to bed _waaaaay_ too late. But tonight…tonight she just stared at her screen.

It wasn't for lack of things to say. She had pages and pages of stuff to say. But her internal filter…her social filter…blocked her from typing. She was in a moral dilemma.

_I want to write about my feelings. My feelings for him. But…then Wendy will read it and hate me. She might even kick my butt. And…well…I don't want to lose her as a friend…but…I really…really want a guy, a nice guy. A guy who likes me and treats me nice and…is romantic. But…Robbie…he doesn't even care about me anymore. He still hasn't called or text me. _Her eyes began to get a little blurry as she stared at the screen, she grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

_I can't even get a jerk like Nate to care about me. I only know guys who are jerks or selfish or clueless. Dipper…he knows how to treat a lady. I think…he even cares about me. At least enough to treat me nice and show some courtesy. _Salty sadness trickled down her soft cheek, the teardrop falling from her face and landing on her thigh.

She sighed, her head resting on one hand, and with the other pointed to the power button and turned it off. But still she sat, not quite wanting to go to bed unresolved. She pushed the power button again, turning it on. Then again, off. Then on. Then off.

Sitting in the dark, she looked out her window. The moon was coming up over the forest treetops. It was a beautiful view. She sighed again and got up, and climbed into bed. Laying down on her back, she stared at the ceiling. Her mind wouldn't stop.

_"Leaving a pretty girl like you alone? It's his loss you know."_

_Wow. I haven't been called pretty in ages. But what did I say to him?_

_"Thanks for picking me up." "Don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key." "Don't be a stranger."_

_He must think I am a total ditz. He wouldn't find me as interesting as Wendy. She follows him into caves, climbs trees, hell, she swings from tree to tree like a freakin monkey. If she is that limber and nimble she probably does acrobatics with him when they're alone that blow his mind._

She rolled over onto her side, hugging her pillow, but her mind was still whirling.

_How can I be interesting to him? And maybe…if I can get his attention, the other boys might perk up and notice me too. But what do I do? Blog. And selfies. I'm…I'm a nerd._

She closed her eyes as the tears started again. She cried herself to sleep hugging her pillow.

_…_

That same moonlit night that shined upon a tearful Tambry, Dipper was lying in bed unable to sleep. Mabel was fast asleep, having gone to bed on her side facing her pinned up photos of the Corduroy brothers, too preoccupied to care about her brother's love life at the moment.

_"Don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key."_

Wendy had explained the phrase to him, and now he realized that Tambry had indeed been flirting with him.

_"You're such a gentleman. And a handsome one too."_ _Definitely flirting._ _I never told Wendy that part. A good thing too after hearing what Wendy told me later about…about Tambry hitting on me. Wendy is on to anything that may come between us. Well nothing will ever come between us!_

He rolled over on his side and saw the picture on the wall above his bed of him and the crew two years ago at the convenience store, the selfie Tambry took when they broke inside. Dipper was between Tambry and Mabel. Wendy was on the other side of Mabel, the center of the crew, the boys on the other side. The perspective made it seem all the girls wanted to be next to Dipper. Tambry had printed out with the caption: "_Doctor Fun Times and Crew_". She had her hand on his shorter, younger self, on his shoulder trying to squeeze him in, so everyone could fit in the selfie.

_"Don't be a stranger."_

Dipper shut his eyes and rolled over to the other side. He could only see Mabel's back under the blankets, and her wall with photos all over it. One photo was of all the brothers and her, with Wendy behind them.

_Wendy. I love you Wendy. Nothing will come between us._

_"What would you do if Tambry hit on you?"_

Dipper rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling again, he could hear Wendy as if she were there:

_"…sometimes things happen." _

_"…I may be the first, but…I won't be …your last…"_

For a brief moment Dipper allowed himself to imagine what it would be like.

_Tambry *is* really pretty. And she always smells nice too, nice perfume. I always liked her eyes. Her eyes always look…lovable? Lovey…dovey? And when she smiles…it is a wicked naughty little smile…like she wants to fool around…_

He imagined leaning in close and kissing her. _I wonder if her lips would feel the same as Wendy's? If her tongue_… He imagined holding her in his arms. _She looks really huggable._ _And…kissable… _

Then Dipper opened his eyes again. He was aware he was becoming excited. He rolled over and reached for the picture frame on his nightstand, the picture of Wendy and him, arm in arm, heads touching, and the happiest smiles he had ever seen on her or on a picture of himself, a couple obviously in love and happy together.

_Wendy…I love you…_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

It was morning in Tambry's bedroom. _But who cares_. She felt drained, not rested after crying all night.

She rolled over and stared at the wall. She had hung up the album cover of Robbie's CD _You're Dead! _

One side of her lip curled down in disgust as her nosed scrunched up._ Jerk! _She grabbed it and ripped it from the wall and flung it like a Frisbee across the bedroom to her trashcan, and the bank shot off her computer desk made the shot perfectly into the can with a _ping._

_ Humph. At least I can still Frisbee. Always was the best out of everybody. _

She rubbed her eyes, and the Frisbee thought made her think of the graveyard where her and Robbie used to Frisbee. _Think I'll go running today. Some exercise and sunshine will make me feel better. _

She smiled and swung out of bed, checked her purple highlights in the mirror for bedhead, and grabbing some shiny black running shorts with hot pink trim, a black tube top and hot pink sneakers she went to the bathroom, a little less depressed than when she woke up.

…  
>Three miles up the road, above the Gravity Falls panorama, a hard breathing, running Tambry topped the rise of the green grassy hilltop of the cemetery. She slowed down and then with hands on her hips she casually walked around in a slow wide circle to catch her breath and rest a little, admiring the clear blue sky and sunshine<em>. This was a great idea.<em> She took off the small backpack with her phone, water bottles, a towel and a red Frisbee inside, and dropped it to the ground and sat her curvy black shorted bottom on the green grass facing the town view below.

_ Dipper loves mysteries. And I know the graveyard better than anyone. Well except for maybe Robbie. But he's history! I… wonder if Dipper would be interested in the Ives Mausoleum? Or the McLaughlin Tomb with its stained glass window? That looks really spooky from the inside. Or maybe the Cooper Crypt with the creepy statues? Robbie and I made out there once, back when we were happy together. I'm the only one who knows how to get inside any of them. And it's a great place to play Frisbee!_

She took a few sips of water, then took out the Frisbee, and flung it towards the tombstones.

It banked off of the first one and then ricocheted off of a second, to land in the lap of a weeping angel crying over a tomb. Tambry smiled. _Still got it._

…

Monday and Tuesdays were always slow at the shack after the busy touristy weekends, so those were Wendy's days off. Dipper and her planned a picnic and wanted a private place with a beautiful view, and so decided on the cemetery.

On the other side of the cemetery from Tambry the couple stopped in front of the Greene family tombstone that was a large vertical pinnacle of solid granite two stories high, with four headstones at the base. They spread out the yellow blanket ("Yellow so we can spot ants haha!" Wendy had advised him) and placed the basket down in a corner, and just rested for a moment from the walk up the steep road to the top. They sat next to each other and took out some water and quenched their thirst from the hike in the warm sunshine. Then Wendy leaned against Dipper's shoulder with her arm behind him. She turned to him.

"Hard to believe that place down there used to be the most boring place in the world. And now…"

He looked back at her. "And now there is no other place I want to be."

He kissed her briefly, but they kept their noses together, both smiling. She almost whispered.

"I never thought a cemetery could be so romantic."

"It is, when _you_ are in it." And he kissed her again, but this time a lingering, almost greedy kiss, pushing her back onto the blanket. Her arms wrapped around him in loving consent as they tried to break their record for kissing without air…but…he stopped and looked at her smiling.

"Uh, excuse me Wendy but…I gotta go…I'll be right back."

She giggled. "Too much water huh?" and she leaned to him and kissed him in approval as he nodded.

"Sorry. Be right back." He got up and then walked past the pinnacle just past the cemetery border and into the forest right behind it. He started looking for somewhere to relieve himself.

...

Tambry knew the cemetery well, and turned the graveyard into her own personal Frisbee pinball machine, each headstone a bank shot opportunity. As she bent over and picked up the red disk from the last throw, she saw poking up just above the green hilltop about two hundred feet away the tip top of the tall concrete pinnacle, whose base was out of sight on the far side of the hill. _The Greene family marker. Huh, piece of cake!_

Aiming carefully, her tongue curling up over her upper lip, eyes squinting as she judged the distance, she took a slow deep inhale, her breasts slightly expanding the black tube top as she compressed her arm holding the disc, she bent her knees and then **_flick!_** Her arm whipped out and across in follow through as the Frisbee launched across the blue sky!

Smiling she watched it sail high in the air in a gentle curve, and passing the top curve of its flight it began diving towards the pinnacle. She knew it would hit its mark. But then…it missed the top by an inch! It continued its silent, descending parabola into the forest behind the marker.

_Oh Crap._ She started running towards the probable landing spot.

…

Dipper had just zipped up and had turned around when _WHACK!_ His forehead was sharply smacked, and falling down on his butt he could only see a blur of red. He was conscious but dazed and trying to figure out what just happened. He looked to his side and noticed the Frisbee. "Whaaa…" He picked it up with one hand, the other still rubbing his forehead. Then he heard a sharp inhale from the same side as the Frisbee and looked up.

"_Oh no!_ Oh Dipper, I'm so sorry! On no oh no oh no…" she was running towards him. "… you're the last person I wanted to hit!"

Tambry rushed to his side and bent down on one knee, and touched his forehead in sympathy and a pained expression of regret. She grabbed the Frisbee and threw it hard and high away.

…

Wendy was admiring the sky waiting for Dipper to come back and then saw a red Frisbee come out from behind the pinnacle and land on the grass in front of her. _Whaaa…?_ She stood up and turned around…

…

Tambry kept repeating sorry and was rubbing her hand over his head and hair looking for any other injury, and then gently holding his head brought his face forward as he sat on the grass, and tenderly kissed his forehead.

"I'm so sorry Dip…"

"_TAMBRY!_ What in the _HELL_ do you think you're _doing?_"

Tambry and Dipper both looked around and saw Wendy marching over to them, clenched teeth in her angry grimace and wide eyed anger, fists clenched.

"Oh, Wendy! I…" Tambry looked back at Dipper and then back again at Wendy, and then let go of Dipper and stood up, looking at Dipper's eyes for any clues of cooperation or abandonment_. I am *so* screwed_. She turned to face the redhead. "…I didn't know you guys were here. I was throwing the Frisbee at the pinnacle and…"

Wendy grabbed the shorter Tambry by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground away from Dipper.

_"Ow!"_ Tambry landed on her rear, the shock sending visible ripples through her tummy and top. "Hey! I…You don't know what hap…"

Dipper stood up. "Hey! Wendy, stop it!"

"I know enough Tambry!" Wendy turned to Dipper, angry at him too…and then noticed the red bruise on his forehead. "What…? What happened?"

Tambry got up, brushing grass from her bottom and arms. Dipper watched her as she looked down and patted her bottom and brushed off her thighs_. Her bottom has a nice jiggle to it when she does that, but she is tougher than I thought. Getting thrown down by Wendy is no pillow fight!_

"I was trying to tell you Wendy, but you lost your temper. My Frisbee smacked him the head. By accident!"

Dipper walked over to Tambry and lightly touched her shoulder. "You ok?" Tambry nodded yes, and then he turned and walked up to Wendy. "It's true Wendy. I had no idea she was here, I was coming back to you and _BOOM!_ I got smacked in the head. There is no reason she would hit me in the face on purpose." And he turned to Tambry with a small smile. "Is there?"

_Oh wow, he is defending me!_ She would have swooned right there but knew it would only further angry the redhead's temper.

"No! Of course not." And she folded her arms as she looked at Wendy with vindication in her face. "I was practicing Frisbee by myself, and didn't know you guys were on the other side of the hill, honest. What are you guys doing here anyway? I have been up all morning. When did you get here?"

Wendy's look softened a little. She looked at Dipper. "All… morning? We…we just got here."

"So you see Wendy, she couldn't have been following us. It was an unfortunate coincidence."

Tambry was admiring Dipper even more as he spoke. "I'm so sorry about your head Dipper." Tambry faced Wendy.

"I…I only wanted to..." Tambry swallowed. "…to kiss his forehead where my mistake hurt him, that's all. Just…platonic sympathy. He's…he's all yours Wendy." _For now, you jealous witch._

_Maybe I'm a little jealous. She looks pretty damn hot in those short shorts and tube top, showing off all that skin. More sexy and curvy than I ever was with my gangly arms and legs and beanpole figure. My pale skin and zillion freckles. Now…Now I went and lost my temper, and of course Dipper being the sweet innocent and honest boy he is, is standing on the side of right. Or…or did they plan this together, to meet here? But no, that makes no sense, if he was, why would he bring me? They would have arranged a private meeting with me as far away as possible._

Wendy uncrossed her arms, and now looked down and to the side, and brushed back her hair, kicking the grass. "Well, I guess…it coulda happened that way." She looked up. "Sorry. Sorry Tambry." And looked down again. But then she looked back up not with anger but with determination. "But no more kissing my man. Got it?"

"Wendy, I was just kissing his booboo."

"NO…MORE."

"OK already, sheesh!"

Tambry knew this was the only above board chance she had for a hug with Wendy's full knowledge, so she went for it. She fearlessly walked up to Dipper and hugged him. "Sorry Dipper. Hope you don't get any headaches or stuff from it. Let me know how you're doing, kay?"

_So this is what it is like hugging her! I wondered what it would feel like._ He hugged her back. "Sorry about Wendy." And he looked at his girlfriend with a look that said _aren't you? _But Wendy remained determined.

_I should have included hugs as well as kisses in the blacklist!_

"OK, OK Tambry that's enough." And she grabbed each of them by the shoulders and pushed them apart. She turned to Dipper." Well, shall we return to our picnic?"

"Yeah." He turned to Tambry. "Bye Tambry."

"Bye Dipper. Maybe next time we'll plan the Frisbee throwing so you can catch it haha!"

Wendy looked at Tambry with daggers in her eyes.

Tambry saw them and then looked back to Dipper and smiled. "Or maybe not." Then she frowned and went back for her Frisbee. But she decided to go out with a bang: taking aim she threw the red disc to the pinnacle, and with a bank shot it sailed ahead to another, shorter tombstone and hit it dead on, dropping in front it, and also in front of the picnic view. She ran over to it and then facing away from Dipper, she slowly bent over to pick it up, giving him plenty of time to see her bottom. Then she stood up and turned around to see if he was watching. He was, and Wendy just smacked him on the top of his head for staring. "Bye!" and she waved and then turning around began running with a smile and a jiggle so Dipper could keep watching her as she ran away.

_Shots fired Wendy ol gal. I win the opening round!_


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Tambry had jogged out of sight from the picnicking couple seated on the blanket.

"Can you believe _that?_" Wendy threw a hand with fingers spread in Tambry's direction.

"Believe what?"

"Tambry!" Wendy crossed her arms and looked to the side. "Humph! Bending over like that, how…how _cliché!_"

_I better play it safe._ "What, you mean picking up her Frisbee?"

Wendy turned her head around to look at him with an unbelieving tilt, her crossed arms still facing away from him. Her eyes not lowered in love, but in cynicism_. _It was pretty loud and clear:_ Come on, you can't be THAT clueless, are you?_ She turned back around without saying anything.

"Wendy?"

Dipper touched her shoulder. "Wendy?"

The redhead threw her hands up in the air fingers spread, and nodded as she spoke:

"OK, OK, I'm jealous all right? She bent over on purpose, she was flirting with you again Dipper! On purpose! Right in front of me!"

"Wendy, I think she did it more to make you mad, not for me."

"I don't _think_ so." She crossed her arms again and looked away, closed her eyes, frowning.

Dipper now put his hands on both of her shoulders from behind.

"Wendy, don't you _trust_ me?"

Wendy uncrossed her arms and slowly turned around with hurt eyes and her mouth open in revelation. She stared at the young man that continued to surprise her every day.

_WOW. I did not see that coming from a fourteen and a half year old! He is SO mature for his age!_

"Oh Dipper." She leaned over and hugged him as he simultaneously wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Oh Dipper, I'm sorry. Of course I trust you." And she leaned up. "I just don't trust _her_. Anymore. She has made it clear she is either going to use you as a weapon to taunt me, or…or…worse." She looked down.

"What do you mean worse?" He gently placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at him.

"Dipper…she…"

"She what?"

Wendy still faced him, her chin still in his hand, but now she looked to the side.

"What is it Wendy?" She looked back up at him, and now with lips pressed tightly together but tears in her eyes.

"Remember…_snif_…when I told you…_snif_…I was your first, but not your last?"

"Yes, and it isn't true. You are my first and last and in between." And he kissed the first tear that ran down her cheek. It was the only thing he knew to do when she was sad.

Wendy now looked directly at him, straight into his eyes, right through her tears as her lips trembled in sadness.

"Wendy, I love you. And no one else." He kissed her but there was no receiving pucker, the frown remained, tasting of tears. He held her face with both hands now, and she reached up with her hands and grasped his wrists, holding on to him for dear life, and now she lowered her forehead to touch his.

"_Dipper_." She said it with so much pain and heartache, it scared him, he had never heard her cry like this before. "I love you too. So much Dipper, so much." And now she couldn't hold back any more: she cried with a loud painful sobbing, Dipper could only hold her and rock her as she let it out. Her mournful wail was breaking his heart, to see his strong, fearless Wendy collapsing from an unseen danger of the heart. _Where is the tough girl I fell in love with? What is going on?_

_…_

_I am older than you Dipper. I have experience. And that means I can see into the crystal ball. Another girl will come along, and you will be tired of me. It will be *your* turn to taste new hearts, new lips, just as I did. But I am an old familiar taste now, my lips jaded and too well known. You love a beautiful mistress and her name is Mystery. She changes faces! And she will steal you away from me. I am your first, but I won't be your last…_

…

Tambry felt a new freedom as she jogged back home, a liberation from the cyber-chains of her blogging. There was _more_ to life than the internet! She went out and lived just one day of life and look what happened! She got a hug from Dipper! WITH Wendy's knowledge! Out in the open! And Dipper…he seemed to care about her, even _defended_ her before Wendy's anger! She actually came out ahead from Wendy attacking her! Real life was far more stimulating and rewarding than blogging, and Dipper was _SO_ much an upgrade over Robbie!_ His shaggy hair in my hands, the taste of his skin when I kissed his forehead, but even more, being held in his strong arms when he hugged me back. I could feel his breath on my cheek! And he smelled so good. _ She began to imagine her and Dipper together. _Am I…could it be…no. Not love. Can't be. Not yet. He's…he's just a really nice guy. It must be the rebound effect from being dumped by Robbie…Well Robbie, I am dumping YOU! For a really nice upgrade…yeah…_

…

Dipper was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What's so funny Dip?"

He turned to face his sister. "What?"

"What's so funny? You're smiling."

_Oh crap._ "Oh uh, just a wonderful day with Wendy, that's all. We had a picnic." _She is going to be able to tell I'm lying. Wendy's crying scared the hell out of me, but…Tambry…her hug made me smile just now, just remembering it._

"You already told me that. Still thinking about it eh? Or something else?" Mabel smiled.

"Uh…yeah." And he rolled over on his side towards the wall. There was the Doctor Fun Times and Crew photo. With Tambry. The same Tambry who kissed him. _I can still feel her soft moist lips on my forehead, as she held my face in her hands. Her gentle soft hands. She…I could really tell she cared about me. And when she kneeled in front of me, those thighs, those healthy thighs and smooth legs, and that tan skin, and her curvy hips filling out those shorts... but those eyes! Her eyelashes are so different from Wendy's…and her lips…_

He was surprised when she kissed him. _Pleasantly surprised. And later she hugged me. She was so soft and cuddly. Wendy is a little soft too but more firm and…well, she's got muscle. But Tambry…is different…_

"Dipper!" He sat up in surprise, knocking his pillow onto the floor.

"_What?_ What?" And he looked at his sister. She wasn't smiling. _Oh oh._

Mabel got up off of her bed, and came over to his, and sat on the edge.

"Brobro…just so you know…I _know_."

His eyes went wide in panic. "Know? Know what? What are you talking about?"

Mabel relaxed her eyes in loving concern but still wasn't smiling.

"Don't worry. I won't tell her, that's between you and her."

"Tell what? Who? What…"

"Last night, in your sleep you said '_Tambry'._ You were dreaming about her. Pillow talk."

"What? No way! I love Wendy!"

Mabel put a loving hand on his shoulder. "Like I said, I won't tell brobro." And she leaned over and kissed his cheek, and then got up and went to her bed. "Goodnight…Don Juan! heeheehee!" and she pulled the covers over her as she turned to face the photo wall.

Dipper just stared at his sister. _She knows me better than I know myself_.

…

The next day Dipper and Soos drove down town in the golf cart to pick up a few cases of Pitt to stock up the vending machine. As they drove past the strip mall, Dipper saw his nemesis Robbie in the music store. _Not again. What a loser_. They drove to the next block to the warehouse and parked.

Next to the grocery warehouse was a woman's clothing discount warehouse. Soos got out and started walking into the food warehouse. He threw Dipper the keys. "Watch the cart dude, be right back."

"Sure Soos." And Dipper started checking out two teenage girls who just came out of the clothing warehouse, giggling and laughing. Then Tambry came out! She was wearing a casual grey running suit and white sneakers, carrying a bag of newly purchased clothes.

"Oh, Dipper! Hi!" _She looks really glad to see me! _She ran up to him.

"HI Tambry! Uh…you're not carrying any Frisbees are you haha!"

"Haha! Very funny Dipper, very funny, you little troublemaker haha!" and she reached up and pinched his cheek!

"Haha! Aw, you know I forgave you right? No big deal."

"Yeah of course…" she stopped smiling and now looked bothered by something. Dipper turned around.

"Well guess who's also fangirling over loser boy."

Dipper knew who it was before he even turned around. "Robbie, leave us alone."

"No, you leave her alone, she's outta your league little boy."

"Robbie, shutup!" Tambry folded her arms.

"What? You shutup! You left me without saying goodbye!"

"Well you didn't call me or text me to ask where I was…jerk!"

Dipper was getting angry and stood in front of Tambry.

"Leave us alone."

"Why, what are you going to do about it punk?"

Robbie stepped up to Dipper but then he quickly learned this was a different confrontation than the last one they had years ago. Dipper was the same height as Robbie and was staring him eye to eye.

"Go away Valentino."

"Make me, dork." And Robbie pushed him into Tambry, almost knocking her over.

Dipper turned around to look at her. "You OK?"

"DIPPER! LOOK OUT!"

He turned back to face Robbie and SMACK! Robbie punched his jaw, but Stan had kept teaching Dipper about fighting. When Robbie saw that Dipper was stunned but not yet down, he threw another punch, but he lost the element of surprise and Dipper raised his arm and blocked it, and then with his other arm he swung at Robbie and punched him straight in the nose! Robbie fell backwards into the golf cart and hit his head on the edge of the fender and fell on his butt on the ground. Now his nose and the back of his head were bleeding, as was Dipper's bottom lip.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Robbie jumped up and grabbed Dippers tee shirt by his neck before Dipper could swing, and twirled him around and threw him into the cart with a _BANG_ as he hit the hood, but Dipper remained standing and swung at Robbie, hitting his cheekbone and jarring his head backwards, his jaw snapped shut with a double _click!_ Robbie went down onto the asphalt, flat out stunned.

"Dipper! Dipper are you ok?" Tambry ran to him and held his arm, and touched his lip.

"Stay back Tambry!" But Robbie wasn't getting back up, it was all he could do to roll his head around and trying to focus on where Dipper was with crossed eyes, and then his head dropped back on the ground and he lay still. Various warehouse workers and store employees and customers all ran out and circled the battleground, and someone called the police…

…

"But officer, Robbie started it!"

"He was flat on the ground unconscious and your boyfriend was still standing, so I gotta book him."

_My …my boyfriend?…I…I like the sound of that! _

"But officer…"

"Sorry Miss. We already got your side of the story. Since he is a juvenile it will be up to the local DA to decide whether to prosecute or not, there will be an investigation and then we'll let you know."

And two other sheriffs handcuffed Dipper and put him in the back of the police car. He looked up at Tambry with a worried look from behind the bulletproof glass. She ran up to the car window with both hands and pressed her face to it.

"It'll be OK Dipper! And Thank you!" and closing her eyes, she kissed the window. Handcuffed wrists behind him, Dipper touched his forehead on his side of the window of her lavender lipstick kiss print. Then the police car drove away.

_That's the second time this week he saved me. What a strong boy, I think I love him! I...LOVE…HIM!_


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Soos burst into the shack store lobby, the hanging bell on top of the door ringing like an alarm, and he began shouting.

"Dudes! Dudes!" _huff huff huff_ "We gotta go help Dipper!" _huff huff huff _"He's in trouble!"

Wendy stood up from her seat behind the register. "What happened?"

Stan walked up to Soos. "Deep breaths, Soos, Deep breaths. Now slow down and tell us, what happened?"

Mabel ran down the stairs. "Did he fall in the pit? Is he in the forest? Where is he?"

"He's in the tank at the police station!"

"_WHAT?_" Wendy was incredulous. "Why? What did he do?"

Stan rolled his eyes. "I better go bail him out. Wendy, you mind the shack, I stand a better chance of getting him outta there than you."

Wendy ran up to Soos and grabbed his shirt and got right in his face. "_WHAT_ did he _DO_?"

Soos caught his breath. "Robbie tried to sucker punch him, but Dipper punched him back, bloodied his nose, then Robbie tried to throw him down but then Dipper gave him a right hook and _BAM!_ Robbie went down for the count! It was awesome! " and then Wendy gave Soos a _very_ angry look with clenched teeth. "…Well…not so awesome. Kinda…kinda bad actually…actually…_AWESOME_ BAD!" and he gave a high five to a smiling Mabel who had been right there listening.

Wendy threw off Soos and went towards the door.

"No Wendy, you won't help. Stay here and mind the shack, that's an order!"

"Order schmorder! I'm going…"

"I'm the only one with the dough to bail him out. What are you gonna do, huh? Beat up a cop?"

"Depends, I might beat up Dipper!"  
>"<em>NO<em>, you stay here, they will only release him to a legal guardian, that's me, not you. I won't come back without him, I promise."

Stan, Mabel and Soos left, with Wendy standing alone in the lobby with begging eyes. "But…but…"

…

The police station had only been a few blocks away, and Tambry used her best jog, shopping bag and all to get down there as fast as she could, running across streets against red lights in between cars and dodging pedestrians.

She ran up the station steps and entered the protected waiting room area, breathing hard.

"Yes ma'am, are you reporting something? Do you need help?" said the female police sergeant through the speaker built into the bullet proof glass.

"Uh no, I'm here for Dipper Pines? He was just brought here but he's innocent! Robbie Valentino…"

"Oh, OK young lady, we know all about that. Are you the legal guardian that …" and she looked down at a clipboard. "…Mr. Soos was supposed to fetch? What is your name?"

After answering questions about her address, phone number and her side of the story, she was told to have a seat and to wait to hear about his status, if he was going to be booked and released, or held overnight. They had to wait for a legal guardian. She sat down on a long bench against the side wall of the lobby. She looked around, having never been here before and looked with ill feelings at the most wanted posters, court dates, and other reminders that the real world was sometimes an ugly place.

_Oh Dipper. You don't belong here. I'll get you out of here somehow!_

…

The station lobby door opened again and Tambry looked up. In walked Stan Pines, Soos and Mabel.

_Oh no, Wendy will be with them no doubt. Will she…wait…where…_

The lobby door closed behind the trio. Mabel ran over to Tambry as Stan and Soos walked up to the glass window sergeant and introduced themselves and began the twenty questions she had already gone through with Tambry.

"Tambry! Are you here for Dipper too?"

"Yeah Mabel. Yeah. Is Wendy…?"

"She's watching the shack."

"Oh. _Whew_!"

"_Whew_? Like in, you and her are not getting along lately…?"

"You might say that…"

"'Cause of my brother?"

Tambry looked up at Mabel. "Uh…"

"It's OK Tambry. I _know_."

"Know? Know what?"

"Tambry…" She looked around and then whispered. "I know about you and Dipper."

"What? Me and Dipper what? We're just friends! Honest Mabel! Please don't tell Wendy that we're…"

"Shhh!" and Mabel looked around again. "I won't tell Wendy anything. It's all right ok? I stay out of my brother's business. Your status is between him and Wendy. But I just wanted to…to thank you for being here for my brother. I heard what he did to Robbie."

Tambry smiled. She was completely surprised by Mabel's kind and understanding outreach and smiled at her, and Mabel smiled back in sympathy.

"Any love of my brother's is a friend of mine." And then Mabel grasped Tambry's hand and squeezed.

"Any…_love _of your brother's…?" Tambry was confused.

"Has he kissed you yet?"

"What? No! No he…" Tambry looked at Stan and Soos who were still busy talking across the room and then looked down. "Right now it's…it's just…well… it's kinda one sided right now. But I think…I _hope _someday he…he…"

"He is. He does. He says your name at night in his sleep."

"He _does_?" Tambry looked like she just won the lottery.

"Yes. Well, just once so far. But I can tell when someone's got my brother hot and bothered heehee! Bothered brothers are the most fun haha!" and she winked.

Tambry stopped smiling. "Mabel…Mabel what if Wendy finds out?"

Mabel took a deep breath tilting her head and raising a hand to her chin, looking to the side.

"Well then, things could get _pret-ty _ugly."

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of…"

Then Mabel smiled. "But at least for this particular situation, I know what we can do! Come with me!" and she grabbed Tambry's hand and pulled her to the door.

"Soos! Tambry and I are going across the street to the clothing warehouse! Be right back!"

Soos shook his head. _Chicks and clothes, even at a time like this. That's Mabel!_

…

"Damn it! I can't stay here any longer, this sucks!" Wendy locked up the cash register and then locked up the rest of the shack, and then went outside, hung up the CLOSED sign on the door and hopped on her bicycle, and started pedaling to town, fast.

…

Mabel and Tambry entered the warehouse, and went to the service desk.

"May I speak to the manager please? It's very urgent!"

"Just a moment miss."

While the service attendant went for the manager Mabel turned to Tambry and told her the plan.

"Get out your phone Tambry. This will be the most important blog you ever made!"

The Manager approached. "Oh! You are the young lady that was protected by the young man they arrested." Mabel turned to Tambry and smiled, wiggling her eyebrows.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Dipper sat on the cold steel bench in the holding cell. Hands clasped together and looking down at the cracked concrete floor between his knees. Even his sighs reverberated with a metallic echo in the empty cell area, he was the only one incarcerated this day.

_Wendy is going to be so disappointed in me. But Robbie…he threw the first punch, that jackass. But…Wendy used to like him. She…she used to say it made her happy to see us two, "her boys" get along._

_And now I punched him in the face. Well serves him right for trying to sucker punch me! She'll be just as mad at him, if not more. And he's eighteen, and he punched me, a minor. That should count for something! Assault on a minor. Yeah! So that should make him hesitate to press charges against me! But…it's his word against mine. Except…Tambry was there! She was a witness! Maybe she will tell the police and tell Wendy what happened! She…_Dipper sat up straight as he recalled events.

_She kissed the window. It reminded me of when she kissed my forehead, and I touched my forehead to the kiss but…now that I think about it, she…maybe Wendy is right. Maybe she is like, trying to steal me? From Wendy? _

Dipper smirked and stood up, and walked to the bars, holding them and putting his face against them looking at nothing in particular.

_Tambry better not get any ideas. She is very cute, but she's not Wendy, not by a mile. _He turned around and leaned against the bars.

_Wendy…she dressed up the day after we kissed. Did she…did she do that for me? I hope she doesn't think she has to do that to try and be like Tambry. I love her the way she is. _He smiled and slowly slid down the bars to sit down on the concrete floor.

_She is awesome just the way she is. Those freckles. That hair. And those eyes…_

He closed his eyes as he recalled their kisses._ It doesn't matter where I am Wendy, I just think of you and I'm OK. _Then he stopped smiling. He remembered her crying at the cemetery picnic._ But…she's afraid! She needs me! She is never afraid of anything in this physical world, but she's afraid of heartache! Of losing me! _

He stood up, determination on his face._ I've got to get out of here! Don't worry Wendy, I'm coming!_

…

A smiling and confident Mabel and a very worried Tambry walked back into the police station lobby. Worry turned to fear as she saw who had arrived, she would recognize those mud stained boots, jeans and green plaid anywhere. Stan was yelling at Wendy for leaving the shack.

_Oh no! Wendy is here!_

Then Wendy turned around when she heard the girls walk in the lobby. Stan covered his face with a palm. "Oh boy, here we go."

"You. What are _you _doing here?" Wendy was demanding, arms crossed. _A sweat suit, at least she isn't dressing slutty this time!_

Tambry looked at Mabel, who kept smiling, and gently pushed Tambry's arm towards the window.

"Tell them Tambry. Go ahead."

Wendy looked at Mabel with an almost betrayed face, mixed with confusion. Then she looked back at Tambry who swallowed and then answered.

"I'm here for the same reason as you. For him."

"Tambry…" Wendy slowly started marching towards Tambry, an angry frown and furrowed eyebrows making the rest of her thoughts clear.

But Mabel then stood in front of Tambry with her hands out front and stopped Wendy.

"Wendy! You don't know the whole story! Nobody does, but everyone needs to know the whole story! Show them Tambry!"

_I knew it!_ _They are hiding an affair! _Wendy's eyes started tearing up as she became even more angry.

Tambry lifted up her phone. Wendy rolled her wet eyes and crossed her arms again but hurt emotion was plain in her voice as it nearly cracked.

"Oh come on Tambry, what's on your blog? That you love Dipper?"

"I…" Tambry swallowed again. "I _do_ love him, but that is not what's on my blog!" and again she lifted up her phone, hand shaking with fear. Then Mabel stepped up to Wendy.

"Tambry is the one who can get Dipper out! She has the security video website that anyone can play back, and she also recorded it on her phone camera! She can text it to anyone!" Mabel turned again to Tambry. "Play it again Tambry!"

They walked right past Soos and Stan and up to the window, Mabel placing a fist on the counter. "Ma'am, we have a video as evidence from the clothing warehouse security camera. The manager gave us the password for the website so you can see what happened. I'll let the video speak for itself."

There was Tambry and Dipper talking. She pinched his cheek. As that scene replayed Wendy gritted her teeth and glared at Tambry, who smiled back but still with fear in her eyes. There was Robbie coming up behind Dipper, and then Dipper turning around. There was the argument and then Robbie pushing Dipper into Tambry. There was the sucker punch when Dipper wasn't looking. Dipper punching his nose and the whole scene played out until Robbie was splayed out on the ground stunned and knocked out.

…

"Dipper!" Mabel ran up to him as he came out of the locked security door, the officer putting the keys back in his pocket and closing the door from within. "He's free to go. But don't leave town."

She hugged her brother and he hugged her back, kissing the top of her head.

There was Wendy, staring at him, tears in her eyes. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's OK Wendy, I'm here. It's OK." But her arms remained at her side.

"Dipper...Dipper, I know."

"Know what?" he stood back from her still smiling but confused and his arms dropped to her hands, holding them and rubbing his thumbs over her unresponsive fingers.

"About you and Tambry."

His eyes went wide. "What? " he looked at Mabel. "Mabel, did you say something to her?"

"No broseph, cross my heart!" Mabel shook her head, and Dipper trusted her expression after years of growing up with his sister. He knew when she was hiding something or not. Her face held no lie.

Then he looked over and saw Tambry. When they made eye contact she smiled and ran up to him too. "Dipper!" She was going to hug him but then she slowed down and then stopped when she did not see her joy reflected in his eyes. _His eyes...he wants me to stay away. He's mad at me! _Her heart sank into a pit in her stomach._  
><em>

Dipper turned to Wendy, still holding her hands. "Wendy, there is nothing going on between Tambry and me. She _is_ a friend. But nothing more."

Now Tambry's eyes were watering and her lips trembled in a frown as she held her hands together as if praying. But Wendy pulled her own hands from Dippers.

"Tambry admitted she loves you."

Dipper looked at Tambry and then faced Wendy again. "Maybe she does. But _I_ don't love _her._"

Wendy looked down, and Dipper could see a tear sparkling in the harsh xenon lighting of the police station lobby as it fell from her freckled face and splattered on the cold concrete floor. But then he gently lifted her face to look at him. He almost whispered.

"Wendy… _don't you trust me?_" and he smiled at her, his eyes still pleading but leaving his soul bare for her to see.

She looked into his dark brown eyes and remembered the picnic. She stared and saw the same thing she had always seen, since they became lovers, even before, since they became friends. Slowly the smallest hint of a smile appeared, tears still trailing down both freckled cheeks. A short giggle escaped from her lips.

She reached back to him and held his hands and looked back up at him. Then she _hiccuped_. Dipper chuckled. She giggled again. And hiccuped again. Then they both started chuckling, then laughing, then Wendy laughed out loud, her face up to the ceiling, eyes closed with tears on her face, looking almost crazy. She looked back down at him again as they fell into each others arms and hugged, Dipper kissing her cheek, kissing every tear.

Then she leaned back from the hug and looked at him, smiling.

"Dork."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Wendy looked at Dipper with lowered eyes as they walked away from the police station to the car holding hands.

"I think we can all fit in the Stanley mobile…if you sit on my lap."

Dipper turned to her and smiled. "Or you sit on mine. I now know your end is softer than mine." And he gave her a quick kiss as she giggled. Then as they watched Soos load Wendy's bike into the trunk, Dipper noticed Tambry down the block walking across the street towards home.

Wendy noticed him watching her, and then he turned to Wendy.

"Wendy, we should give her a ride home. She's a friend. "

Wendy smiled without hesitation. "And she got you out of jail." She rubbed noses with him, and then whispered.

"I trust you." She gave him a quick kiss and let go of his hand, and watched him run down the block after Tambry.

"Tambry!"

She turned around and it was obvious she was still crying. Dipper slowed to a walk as he approached her and then putting a hand in his pocket, looked down and to the side as his other hand rubbed the back of his neck.

"Tambry, why don't you ride with us? You don't have to walk all the way home by yourself." And he looked back up at her and smiled.

Tambry sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve, and then looked down the block at Wendy. The redhead waved her over, nodding.

Tambry looked back at Dipper.

"You…you sure it's OK? _snif_"

"Yeah, that is, if it's OK with you."

Tambry looked once more at Wendy. The redhead shouted down the block.

"Come on already Tambry! We don't have all day." And finally she smiled.

Tambry smiled back and then looked at Dipper.

"Thanks Dipper." And they turned back together walking to the car_. This is the kind of thing that made me fall in love with him, that he actually cares about me. Wendy is so lucky._

Dipper glanced at her but quickly, sensitive to Wendy watching them both.

_I hate to see Tambry crying, especially after she confessed that she loves me. I hope she finds a new guy that will make her happy. _

"Tambry, uh…" he swallowed. She looked back at him.

"Yeah?"

"Uh…you know you're pretty enough that some guy is gonna, you know, ask you out. Probably a bunch of guys. "

_He even cares about my feelings! I can't help loving him._

"Thanks Dipper. You are so sweet_." I want to at least hug him, like at the cemetery, or even just touch his arm…but he would probably get mad. And Wendy will kill me._

She looked forward as they approached the car. "Thanks. _Snif_"

Stan was already behind the wheel, with Soos riding shotgun and Mabel in between, the Stanley mobile was a 1960's car built wide and large enough for six. That left room for three in the back.

_I know Wendy doesn't like Tambry so…maybe I should sit in the middle? But then Tambry will be next to me and she'll get mad at that…_His conundrum became evident on his face as he puzzled the best seating arrangement.

"Just get in Dipper." And smiling Wendy pushed him in the back seat. Getting in after him she closed the door. Tambry got in on the other side, and so it was that Dipper found himself in between the two girls.

Getting seat belts on raised Dipper's blood pressure to almost dangerous levels. He was already bumping hips with the dark haired girl as they sat in the back seat, hips that her sweat pants could not hide.

"Uh…excuse me…" he said to Tambry without looking up, as he reached in between her hips and his for the seat belt buckle.

He tried to be delicate as he reached in between them but the back of his hand could not avoid sliding past her hip.

She was also searching for her buckle, and their hands slid past each other. They might as well have plugged their fingers into a light socket as the touch was electric. He heard her inhale, and he did the same but kept his head down, avoiding her eyes. As soon as he grabbed the buckle he quickly pulled his hand out and then turned towards Wendy's side to connect the buckle, looking up at Wendy and smiling.

Fortunately she had been busy buckling up too and just now looked at him, and smiled back. He exhaled in relief and sat back, his left hand holding Wendy's hand, and his right simply laid in his lap.

As the car drove over the poorly maintained, weather beaten roads, bumps were inevitable, and with each bump and vibration Dipper was very much aware of Wendy's …and Tambry's…thighs bumping against his. He tried to look straight ahead or at Wendy, but occasionally he would glance down and see Tambry's lap, her delicate feminine hands clasped together, shiny well cared nails and a tiny silver ring with a tiny mounted amethyst crystal glinting on her pinkie, and reminding him of when those same hands held his face as she kissed his forehead that day.

Then he glanced over at Wendy's lap, where she was holding Dipper's hand: strong hands, with strong broad fingers, nails trimmed short and unpolished, almost her father's fingers. Then he looked up to find Wendy watching him. She smiled and he smiled back and then kissed her.

Tambry noticed their kiss and turned away to look out the window, but the glass reflected the same scene: the back of dipper's head and just the forehead and eyes of Wendy as she tilted her head to kiss him, her eyes closed in contentment.

Tambry could only look down and close her eyes, another tear escaping to fall on her sweatpants. She stayed that way until they dropped her off at her house. Getting out she could only look down at the street and whisper so no one could hear her voice crack from emotion.

"Thanks for the ride."

Then she quickly looked up at Dipper's concerned brown eyes one last time, and before she could glimpse Wendy behind him she turned around and ran to her house. Dipper watched her run to the front door and go inside.

_That is the same face I saw in Wendy that day of the picnic. So much pain._

…

As the car pulled away, Wendy exhaled and then looked back at Dipper, but he didn't look back at her, it was obvious he was lost in thought.

"What's on your mind baby?"

Dipper looked up at her with sudden determination.

"Wendy, can you set Tambry up with one of your exes?"

"_What?_"

Dipper cringed a little at her outburst.

"Well you know, uh, you already know who is a jerk and who might be a nice guy and well, if we set Tambry up with somebody, some nice guy then…well…" and he started rubbing his neck again.

"Dipper, that is all sweet and everything, but Tambry's not our problem."

He looked up, serious determination still in his face.

"No, she is not our problem, she is our friend."

Wendy knew her honest hero, who always fought for right would not give up. She lay back in the car seat in contemplation, looking up at the roof of the car.

"Hmmmm…let me think about it OK?"

Dipper smiled. "Thanks Wendy." And he kissed her cheek. She couldn't help smiling.

"Oh boy!"

And Wendy and Dipper looked back towards the front of the car at Mabel. She had turned around with her head on her arms, arms on the top of the front seat smiling, she had been listening to the whole conversation.

"_MATCH MAKING_!"

Stan looked in the rear view mirror at Wendy and Dipper.

"Oh boy, here we go again…"

Dipper looked at Wendy and they both started laughing.

…

Closing the front door behind her, Tambry ran upstairs and into her bedroom, throwing down her bag of sale clothes, slamming the door shut, and then fell on her bed in tears.

_Oh Dipper…I can't get you out of my head…or heart…_

Sniffling and wiping her eyes she looked up at a photo on her wall that she had blown up and printed out, the same convenience store break in crew picture hanging on Dipper's bedroom wall, where she had her arm around the younger, shorter Dipper. She smiled briefly.

_He was so cute back then. A little insane. Well…daring actually…snif…_

She got up and swiveled around on top of her bed to then walk up to the picture, and took it off the wall and then turned around to walk back to the bed. _Now you have grown and become even cuter, a heart breaker in the true sense of the word! My gaw what a heartbreaker (snif). _She hunched over the picture, touching and feeling the frame again and again as she gently sobbed._  
><em>

_All the other guys are selfish jerks, or worse. Nobody loves me, nobody cares about me but Dipper, and he is taken. There is no one for me._

She held the picture gingerly and slid a well-manicured finger along the edge of the frame, just as another tear drop fell on the picture glass. It was then she noticed her own reflection in the glass, and how sad she looked.

_Time for another run Tambry. Another run to the cemetery. _

_For the last time…_


	30. Chapter 30

My beloved Readers:

I do owe many of you an apology for leading you from safe, fluffy WenDip in the beginning, to the dark borders of despair and near self-destruction. This is not what you signed up for, and I realize that. Indeed, I am painfully aware of it!

I must explain to you however that in bringing these characters to life they began to lead lives of their own. I am but a hapless ghost looking over their shoulders, and typing what I see. This is what has happened to _Pillow Talk_, and I realize now that I should have spun this off as a separate story.

But I find that I cannot! I too am a curious voyeur, watching them to see what happens next, and so find it difficult to end their parts in the story. I think if you read my earlier chapters carefully you will see that I did try to do so on several occasions.

But they shout at me: "I want to live! I want to laugh! To cry! To _love_!" and I cannot deny them.

And so it is that the story continues, but again I am sorry for bringing many of you to a place I myself never foresaw, for I too am in the audience.

-pinkie


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

That evening Tambry sat on her bed wearing her lavender baby doll nightgown, leaning back with legs crossed, Lacuna Coil's _Cold Heritage_ softly playing in her mp3 ear buds, a notepad on her lap, writing.

_Dear Dipper,_

_I want to thank you for everything. You are so nice to everyone, but thank you specially for being so nice to me. You are the only one who cares about me. I know that when we touched, when we hugged, when we even sat next to each other that there was something between us, something special. For me I know it was love. I don't know for sure about what you feel, but I know that you really care about me, and that we would make such a cute couple. I think you may even love me, if only a little, but don't admit it because you belong to *her*… _

Her eyes began to tear up, and she wiped her face and continued writing.

…_and so I am alone. The pain of seeing you and not being able to be with you hurts too much. _

_I want to forget how I feel about you but I can't. So you won't forget me, here is a picture. I know Wendy will probably tear it up but I don't care. I want you to have something to remember me by._

She then paused and sat the notepad down, and then sitting up in the bed, legs folded to the side like a mermaid on a rock, she held out her phone and took a selfie, a sad smile on her face, tears running down her cheeks. Then she picked up the notepad and resumed writing.

_I am glad you are happy. You deserve it after everything you have done for me. So I want you to know it's not your fault._

_Love,_

_Tambry_

_XO_

She printed out the picture on her wireless printer and then fetching it, she folded it and the letter and slipped them into an envelope, and wrote _To Dipper_ on the front. Then she posted the picture on her blog. _Goodbye_. She glanced at the clock. _Sunrise is at 6: 40 AM. If I get up at 6, I can get dressed, drop off the letter and then get there by then. _

She walked out of her bedroom and checking that no one was around, walked into her parent's bedroom, and into their master bathroom. When she found what she wanted, she walked back to her bedroom and climbed into bed, and found that a strange relief came over her, a sudden relaxation.

_Funny how now that I have decided, nothing matters anymore. Now that I know it's almost over I feel better. Letting go…letting go…is for the best…_and she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

…

"Before we can pick one, we should try to understand the guys we know she already doesn't like or doesn't get along with, you know, to figure out her type."

Wendy and Mabel looked at each other, smiling.

"Dipper, you never know. Sometimes guys you would think don't have chance make a girl fall the hardest. Sometimes she just needs to be shown that its someone right in front of her." And Wendy nudged Dipper affectionately and kissed his cheek.

"Haha! Yeah…." Then he looked down in thought. "Hmmm well, let's try. Robbie? _Phffft_. Obvious. No one likes a jerk right?" And knew it was a mistake as soon as he said it, Wendy was crossing her arms and not looking happy.

"Oh yeah, right…" He smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry, uh, I forgot about you and Robbie." He turned to Mabel. "Nate? Nate had a thing for her, remember?"

Wendy dropped her arms. "Yeah, but she does _NOT _like Nate. To needy and tooooo jerky."

"Oh yeah. Well uh…" then his eyes lit up. "Oh yeah!"

Mabel and Wendy looked at each other and Mabel smiled, and gave her brother the thumbs up.

"We were wondering how long it would take you to figure out. We knew it already on the way home, but decided to see if you could figure it out!"

Dipper smiled, and then took out his phone.

…

Tambry's father got up early the next morning with a backache. The grizzled middle aged man in an undershirt and pajama bottoms sat up, stretching in pain as he usually did every morning.

"Damn back. Getting old sucks." He climbed out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, a hand behind him holding his back. "Good thing I got that refill yesterday, one o' these damn days I'm gonna take all thirty pills, I swear."

He opened the medicine cabinet and was very disappointed.

…

"Waitaminutewaitaminute slow down will ya? Slow down, calm down. Tambry's not here."

"_WENDY!_ What the heck are your friends doing calling us at 6:00 in the morning! Tell them never again…"

"Shutup dad! It's Tambry's mom! She's gone."

Wendy went back to the phone. "Now, slowly this time, what happened? What pills?"

…

Dipper's phone kept chiming with text messages, but he kept sleeping. But Mabel was sensitive to texting, and woke up. Yawning she climbed out of bed and walked over to her brother's phone.

"Hmmm Wendy. It figures." And she walked downstairs, still yawning. Then she saw it.

"Whaaa?" an envelope under the door. _To Dipper_.

"ooooh I wonder if this has something to do with Wendy's messages? My brother has so much more interesting romances than me." And she danced up the stairs with the letter.

"Dipper, wake up! A surprise from Weeeendyyyyyyyy!"

"Mabel? Ugh, what time is it?"

"It's love letters in the morning time, that's what. Open it open it open it!"

He looked at what she was holding. "What? What are you talking about? Go back to sleep." and he rolled back over pulling the bed sheets over himself.

"Dipper! Please? _PLEEEEEASSEEEEE?"_

He angrily sat up throwing the sheets to the side "Oh jeez Mabel, seriously you gotta let people sleep."

Then he noticed the envelope. _To Dipper_. It was not in Wendy's handwriting. "What?"

He took it from Mabel and opened it. Mabel was looking over his shoulder.

"Oooooh, a picture! Wait…that's Tambry…and she's _crying_!"

Dipper began reading the letter. Then his eyes went wide. "Oh _NO._ She wouldn't. She _WOULDN'T!_"

"Wouldn't what Dipper? What?"

He threw the letter and picture down and grabbed yesterday's jeans and shirt, and hopping around on one foot as he pulled on a shoe, grabbed his phone, and saw the text messages. He began texting back.

_God I hope we're not too late…_

…

Tambry reached the top of the cemetery hill with her backpack. She was out of place in the graveyard, wearing converse tennis shoes and a black and burgundy knee length sequin dress. She had worn it to the junior/senior prom. She wanted to look nice today but also knew it would be slow going hiking there in heels.

She continued walking to the other side of the hill, between the Greene family marker and the beginning of the wild forest, where she had kissed Dipper that one and only time, and dropped her backpack. She gazed back and could see the top of the hill, and the tall granite marker, but not the Gravity Falls township.

_I don't care about Gravity Falls. I just want to be where Dipper and I had our moment. Maybe he will see me here and remember too. Maybe…_

She sat down on the grass and with a sigh opened her backpack and took out a water bottle, and her father's prescription Vicodin pain killers. She opened them and then looked up at the sky.

The orange and purples of the morning sky gave way to blue as the sun rose above the pine trees._ Such a beautiful day_. _Somehow it seems right to leave on Sunday morning._ She looked down at the pills again._ If I take two at a time I can swallow them all eventually. _She tapped out two and tossed them into her mouth, then set the pills down and reached for her water bottle and opened it. She lifted it to her lips and with eyes closed managed to swallow the first two, but it was an effort. She didn't like pills at all.

_They say that you see an angel just before the end._

She sat there, trying to get the pills the rest of the way down with another swig of water, and then wiped her mouth and looked at the top of the hill. She reached for the pills and started to tap out another two but then looked back at the hilltop.

There was a bright reflection near the top of the hill. Something bright was bobbing up and down_. An angel? _Something coming over the top of the hill.

_Something…? It's …it's someone._

The bright blond hair reflected the sunshine, but what was under the blond hair was a familiar face.

_Lee. What…what is he doing here?_ She closed her hand around the next two pills.

He walked down the other side of the hill towards her.

"Hi Tambry."

She looked around but decided it was no use trying to hide anything.

"Uh, hi Lee."

_He always smiles. But this smile…is different. His eyes…his eyes…are worried._

"I'm glad I found you. I was afraid I was too late." He was right in front of her now.

_Are those…tears in his eyes?_

"Too late?"

"Yeah. I…I would be really _jacked up_ if you …if anything…I mean…if I lost you, you know?"

"You…you would?"

He sat down right next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Well yeah. I care about you."

"You do?"

"Yeah man. I mean…yeah Tambry. Of course I do."

He looked down at her hand. Her closed hand. With his free hand he took her closed hand and slowly opened it. She let him. He slowly grabbed the pills from her and then threw them over his shoulder into the forest.

She turned around to look at them fly, and then turned to look at Lee. He was still smiling.

She smiled back. "Those cost my dad a lot man."

He laughed. "I know man! Haha!"

"Haha! Lee!" and she shoved him, pushing his chest, and he let himself get pushed back onto the grass, laughing and wiping his eyes. Then he sat back up and looked at her. He slowly reached for the bottle and the cap and twisted the cap back on. Then he stopped smiling.

"Did you take any yet?"

"Uh yeah…two."

He sighed then smiled again. "Man, you are gonna get _HIGH _haha!"

"Haha! I hope so!"

"_TAMBRY! TAMBRY_!"

The two looked at the hilltop. Dipper and Wendy were running up, with Mabel behind them. Dipper got there first.

"Tambry! Did you..." he swallowed, catching his breath. "…did you …"

Lee smiled even wider, and held up the bottle, shaking it with a rattle.

"She only took two man. She'll be buzzed for a while and then might get nauseated."

"Thank God!"

Then Wendy ran up.

"Tambry what the hell do you think you're doing you stupid dork?" and she shoved Tambry's shoulder.

"I…I don't know."

"Well I know, you're scaring the hell out of your friends, that's what! Don't freakin' do that again, not without talking to us at least!"

"You…you guys care about me?"

Mabel ran up. "Of course we do!" and the exuberant Mabel fell to her knees and hugged Tambry. "Any _friend_ of my brother's is a friend of mine!" Surprised, Tambry slowly wrapped her arms around her.

"Thanks Mabel." Then she looked around at everyone. "Thank you guys."

Then she looked at Dipper. He crouched down in front of her and looked at her, lips tightly closed as he held back emotion, dark eyes looking into hers. Lee was still on one side and Mabel on the other, and so in between them he leaned forward and hugged her. She didn't care anymore what Wendy may think and so wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh Dipper!" And she started crying.

"Tambry! Now don't go doing that or you're gonna make me cry!" and with a tear running down her cheek Mabel hugged her again. Lee hugged her too, wrapping his long arms around Mabel's and Dippers. "Whoa man, it's getting crowded here!" Everyone started giggling in strange chuckles, laughter mixed with sobs.

In the middle of the hugging arms, gentle, teary eyes looking up through pretty eyelashes and wisps of her dark red and highlighted hair, Tambry looked at Wendy.

The redhead looked back down at her and with sad eyes, smiled.

"Dorkette."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Maybe it will work." Then Wendy held his hand.

"Yeah. They look like opposites, but…" Dipper was watching the back of Lee on their left and Tambry on their right about a hundred feet ahead of them as they all walked down the hill back to town.

"…But opposites attract? Anyway, they look cute together. Oh! Hey, look!"

Wendy pointed to Lee. He had plugged in his ear buds, placed one in his right ear, and offered the other to Tambry. She smiled and plugged it into her left ear, and they kept walking down the hill as they shared the mp3 earphones.

…

"You like _Imogen Heap_?"

She shrugged. "Sure. What's up?"

"_Headlock_." He pushed play on his phone, and they kept walking down the green hill. The blue sky above was bright upon Gravity Falls, birds flying overhead_. Is it really beautiful today, or just the pills starting to take effect? _They had just passed the cemetery gate and were now back in the land of the living, pine forest on both sides of them. She felt enchanted: the scent of pine trees, of rich fertile earth, and of walking with a tall boy, _a cute boy._

_Distant flickering, greener scenery.  
>This weather's bringing it all back again.<br>Great adventures, faces and condensation.  
>I'm going outside to take it all in.<em>

Tambry looked behind her at the cemetery gate, and then saw Dipper and Wendy behind her, and smiled at them. Then she turned back around and looked at Lee. _His smile is always there, but always sincere. I think he really loves life! And everyone in it. I have never seen him angry at anyone. Or anything. _Then the music's beat began to dominate the mood.

_You say too late to start, got your heart in a headlock,  
>I don't believe any of it.<br>You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,  
>You know you're better than this.<em>

She reached for his hand, and he welcomed her grasp, and with a firm but gentle hand he began to slowly swing both their hands together forward then backward then forward again in time with the music. _Does she really like me? Or is it the pills?_

She smiled openly now, picking up on his timing to the music, and began a dancing walk, first her left foot, bouncing on it twice, then her right foot, and bouncing on it twice, each step forward a playful choreography to the song. He joined her, his right foot to her left, the two of them dance-walking in symmetry. Then they added their arms, his left arm the extended wing to her right, their middle arms still swinging back and forth together in time.

_We're a different pair, do something out of step.  
>Throw a stranger an unexpected smile...with big intention.<br>Still posted at your station.  
>Always on about the day it should have fled.<em>

Lee was watching Tambry as she dance-walked in her sequin prom dress: her cleavage bouncing in the dresses sexy cut top, and every time her Converse sneakers hit the pavement, her thighs stretched the dress forward, and new sparkles splashed brilliantly across his eyes.

Tambry was checking him out too: beige shorts revealing his hairy muscled legs as he kept time with her steps, and then she looked up at him and could see a thousand suns dappled across his orange party tee and his face and long, breeze blown hair; reflections from her dress. _He looks like a sun god._

Wendy smiled and looked at Dipper and then back at the dancing couple in front of them. Then she looked behind her at Mabel, grinning. Mabel responded.

"Match MADE! Woo hoo!" and Mabel lifted her arms straight up, fingers pointing to the sky in victory.

Wendy smiled and then looked back at Dipper, and he nodded.

"Yeah. Good match." And he lifted Wendy's hand and kissed her fingers.

"I'm talking about them."

"I think they have enough to talk about themselves. Let's get back to us."

"Haha! OK you ol smoothie."

…

Lee had walked Tambry home, and gave her father back his pills. "Lock them up please."

"No kidding. And Lee…"

"Yes sir?"

"Thanks. For saving my daughter."

Her dad tossed the bottle up in the air and caught them, and put them in his pocket, and then putting a strong arm around Tambry's mother moved them both back inside the house, leaving Lee and Tambry on the porch.

Tambry looked back at Lee, brushing a lock of her highlighted hair back behind her ear.

"Thanks Lee."

"Hey, no problem. You're good, right? Or like, do you need me to uh, hang around… a little longer?"

"Oh uh well, that would be cool. Yeah."

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Tambry, are you like, feeling the pills now?"

"Yeah, but Lee…"

"Yeah?"

"The pills aren't why …I liked walking home with you today. That was …really nice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It was fun." and looking down she held his hand again, swinging it as she started humming the _Headlock_ song tune, trying to recapture the playful mood again. He responded with humming too, swinging her arms from side to side. Then she stopped and looked up at him again, her fingers fondling his. She stopped smiling, her eyes searching his, her lips slowly parting in expectation.

Lee stopped smiling too as he read her silent question. _Does..she want me to kiss her? Wow!_ As he leaned down to her, they both lowered their eyes, and then they both closed them as his lips met hers, their fingers now clutching each other's hands tight.

_Wow! Her lips! So soft. First time!_

Tambry felt his firm lips pucker against hers._ Mmm not bad. Why hadn't I kissed him before?_

He leaned back up, still holding her hands.

"Wow man."

She giggled, then looked up at him. "That _was_ really cool."

"That was my first kiss."

"Really? No way!"

"Yeah way! And I'm glad it was you."

"Mmmm" she leaned against his chest.

He spoke into her hair on top. "You're so short."

"And you're so tall. So don't make me get stairs. Get down here for your second kiss."

And he obeyed.

…

"I'm sorry Wendy."

"Why baby?" She looked at him sideways as they both lay on her bed watching _Stigmata_.

"You know…for uh, getting you involved in so much drama. I know you said Tambry's not our problem, but I couldn't let her…"

Wendy put two fingers on his lips. "Shhhh. I know baby. You've got a big heart. Big enough to love everyone. S'ok."

He smiled behind her fingers. Then he gently pulled her fingers down and leaned to her, and gently kissed her, transmitting affection with his lips, his nose, his face, all of him. He grasped her shoulder and pushed her onto her back, and she submitted, her arms around his neck. But this time she had spread her legs such that he could only lay between them as he rolled over on top of her.

He was laying on her hip to hip, and he worried that she may feel they were again on the edge of going too far. But as his arms lifted himself to take his weight off of her, her tongue slipped between his lips, and she moaned. She lowered her arms, sliding her hands into his back pockets, and pulled him back down onto her again. He complied, and felt himself responding physically to feeling her female hips beneath his. So now he even gently _pushed_, then again harder, and repeated in rhythm and she moaned again. With one arm supporting him, his other hand began exploring her female contours.

Now that he knew what she wanted, she pulled her hands from his pockets and slid them to his shirt, and pulling it up, and slid her hands beneath it, feeling his skin and sliding along his sides, then back around to his shoulders, reaching upward. He felt her nails on his shoulder blades and this excited him further, and he broke off the kiss to burrow into her hair seeking her neck.

Midway down the side of her neck his lips nibbled and then with gentle teeth he latched onto her and began sucking.

"Oh my gaw Dipper…omy gaw what you _do_ to me!"

He whispered back to her. "Wendy."

He then lowered his wet kisses, finding his way to his favorite spot, her freckled skin below her neck, and she now grabbed his hair, her nails clawing his scalp.

"Oh wow! Oh my gaw Dipper…oh my gaw…"

She wrapped her legs around his, pulling him closer to her, and on feeling her ankles on the back of his calves he began pushing again, and even through their jeans he knew she must be feeling how much he wanted her. And he could tell she wanted him, it was warm down there where his firmness met her pelvic region. _Very _warm.

He slid his free hand up her shirt now, and found her bra, massaging her and then tried to slip his hand inside it.

"Wait."

He stopped as he felt her sit up. He watched her as she reached around and unhooked her bra and then marveled as she slipped the shoulder straps around her arms inside her shirt and then pulled it out and threw it across the bed.

Then she smiled and wrapped her arms around him again and he leaned towards her to place his lips again where they belonged.

She kissed him and even licked him briefly, but then she broke off the kiss and leaned her head back, offering her chest to him. He understood her intention and began kissing her below her neck again, but this time he unbuttoned her top button, and began a slow sensuous search for unexplored regions.

His hand got there before his lips, massaging her yielding curves and feeling her erect nipples. Then he unbuttoned the rest of her shirt, kissing further down as each one gave way, until at last he was kissing her breasts.

"Oooooohhhhhhh Dipperrrrrrrrrr..."

Grasping firmly she directed his head here and then there, back and forth between one and then the other.

"Wendy. I love you Wendy."

"Oh Dipper, I love you too baby, I love you too."

And now he began sucking, his tongue circling the prominent love buds, driving Wendy to heavy breathing, almost hissing.

"Shhhhhhhhh..." Then she leaned up.

She pulled his shirt off over his head, and then he pulled hers off too. He lay back on her feeling her skin against his chest for the first time. Their tongues met each other again, her fingers running through his hair and his hands on her hips, her sides and back to her breasts. Again he sucked her neck, grinding his pelvis against hers, and again she wrapped her legs around him. Now they were both breathing heavy, their warm breath against each other's face, necks, shoulders.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

The lovers both jerked up, Wendy grabbing her shirt and covering her chest.

_Oh crap!_

"_WENDY!_ Time for company to go _HOME!_"

Dipper looked for his shirt in a panic, and finding it he grabbed it and her bra in the same clutch, trying to put it on with her bra straps flying through the air, his crossed eyes staring at the strap right in front of him. "_Ahhh_!"

Wendy almost laughed at his panic as he then tried to pull the bra off, but it only stretched. In his panic of slipping his arm into the shirt sleeve he had also slipped on the bra shoulder strap too! Wendy giggled and tried to keep from laughing as she grabbed her shirt and pulled it on too.

"OK Dad! We're.._heehee_ …saying goodbye. Just another thirty seconds! _Haha!_"

Finally composing themselves, he tried to kiss her but she pushed him towards the door.

"You used up your thirty seconds dork. Time to go." But she gave him a quick consolation kiss on the cheek.

She opened the door and there was her dad, again blocking most of the hallway, not looking happy. _Not_ happy at all. Dipper smiled as again he squeezed past Manly Dan and almost ran to the front door, but not before turning around.

"Bye Wendy."

"Bye." And she blew him a kiss. Her dad growled. He ran out the door.

He ran all the way home too.

...

Back at the Mystery Shack Dipper went upstairs to the attic bedroom and opened the door.

_FLASH!_

He was temporarily blinded. "_What?_ Mabel! Aw geez not again!"

"OHMYGAW DIPPER! A _HICKEY_! And I got it on my CAMERA!"

"Mabel..."


End file.
